Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Masterful Movie

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Gore Verninski's The Mexican is somewhat of an oddity. Verbinski is known for massive scale Hollywood epics, and this one has trappings of such a film, but instead takes an off kilter, unpredictably strange approach, through committed, idiosyncratic writing, and a dense, comic narrative that unfolds in such an odd manner you can't help but get invested in. Brad Pitt is a sheepish screw up as Jerry, a hapless low level gangster underling who is tasked with returning a priceless Mexican antique pistol to his bosses. The pistol, embedded in a tragic legend and believed to hold a curse, certainly seems to be troublesome McGuffin for our hero. Between his hapless ineptitude and the curse, he's led on madcap chase through the southern states and across the border to find the relic, transport it, and do right by his shady employers, who may just have it out to end him if he messes up one more time. Pitt, often the assured, confident leading man, has a Scrappy Doo esque, dishevelled side to his talents, which he uses to great effect here, laying a guy just this side of dumb, who is adorably trying to extricate himself from his situation. Julia Roberts plays his neurotic girlfriend Samantha, who doesn't approve of his line of work, and follows him on his looney odyssey, always one step behind. She crosses paths with a no nonsense hit-man played by James Gandolfini, giving the best performance of the film. His character, Winston Baldry, initially kidnaps Samantha, and gradually befriends her, the two of them forming a touching bond that provides the poignant moments of the film, rays of grounded seriousness in an otherwise glib enterprise. J.K. Simmons is priceless as an aloof, eccentric member of Pitt's organization, Bob Balaban is the unassuming yet scary ringleader, and there's a wonderful surprise cameo from an A lister near the end that I won't spoil. This is the type of film where the old adage "don't judge a book by its cover" comes into play. The cover suggests a light bit of romantic intrigue that focuses on the chemistry of its two star leads. Instead, they are separated for a majority of the film, and we are treated to a tongue in cheek, oddball romp with moments of surreal levity, real emotional beats that feel earned, and a slick, almost Elmore Leonard style story.

I can remember the hoopla surrounding the "great pairing of Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts" at the time of 2001 and the backlash when it was realized they shared such little screen time together. What I found (and many others) interesting was how James Gandolfini (RIP) takes the film right from them as a gay hit-man needing his boss (supposedly Gene Hackman's Margolese) to get a historical artifact found in a mine not long ago…a gun made by a poor gunsmith with a heart-shaped bullet chamber, called The Mexican. Sent to retrieve the gun is Pitt by the dour, double-crossing Bob Balaban for Hackman unaware (for a bit until he is privy to a conversation) that he is to be off'd by "always just trying to do his part and nothing more", JK Simmons (another extraordinary scene-stealing supporting character actor) once in Mexico after the mission is successful. What happens to Pitt along the way is one of those "you gotta be kidding me" journeys full of hard luck and difficulty. Roberts is kidnapped by Gandolfini as "leverage" so that Pitt will do as he is supposed to without any attempt to achieve financial gain for himself. What happens between Gandolfini and Roberts is actually the true heart and soul of the film because they learn a lot about themselves through the constant appraisal of her relationship with Pitt. In a second viewing of the film (the first was so agonizing I hadn't watched this in thirteen years), I realized that if Pitt and Roberts, considering the characters they are trapped in, had been on screen any longer than necessary, the experience would have been even more abrasive than it already turned out to be. Roberts can be so likable when sharing time with Gandolfini and an absolute pariah when with Pitt, I thought I was watching two different characters on screen. Pitt works the "aw shucks, I'm just trying to keep from being killed and get the gun to where it needs to go" part throughout, taking a lot of frustrating developments (that Balaban wanted him dead, that his car is stolen, that a cop takes the gun, that he must tolerate locals and their firecrackers, guns going off in the air, the unfortunate accidental death of Margolese' grandson thanks to the celebration that Pitt is annoyed by, a passport swap accident, interference in the mission of the gun) and holding onto his wits, even after Roberts seems to be okay and back with him. The constant bickering between Roberts and Pitt, seemingly presented as a charming humorous state of affairs in how they spend most of their time together, really gets old fast. Gandolfini's talk with Roberts before meeting Pitt about never giving up on love even when it appears enough is enough is probably one of the best (if it wasn't for Hackman's lone scene about the Mexican's importance) scenes in the film. The violence that does happen in the film is primarily just an example of the nature of Pitt's obligation to gangsters (he is a lousy driver and hit Margolese' car which was carrying a live body in the trunk, leading to Margolese' arrest!), and how it is bound to happen as the Mexican is a desirable artifact perhaps worth quite a pretty penny. Balaban deadpans in the same league as Bill Murray so his stone cold face doling out orders and insults gives him a great villain for the film here. A mixed bag, in my opinion, that could have been better if Pitt and Roberts been more compatible and less combative as a couple in the film. The gun's back story is amusingly presented in differing ways by each person who tells it to Pitt, not particularly knowledgeable in the gun's history but just wanting his situation to be over. Gandolfini and Roberts in the diner discussing his sexual orientation is sweet.

Tries too hard to be cool. Instead it mostly just seems silly, and dull.Initial plot set-up was fairly interesting and had potential. However, it quickly degenerated into inane farce and/or pointless sub-plots.Director Gore Verbinski (director of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, so you already know the movie is going to be more style than substance) seems intent on channeling Quentin Tarantino: cool quips and nonchalance while in the middle of incredible danger and violence. Instead, he misses the mark and the movie just feels lame. Leave the cool stuff to Tarantino, Mr Verbinski.Star-studded cast: Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, James Gandolfini, JK Simmons, Bob Balaban, Gene Hackman. They do their best but are hamstrung by the script and direction.

Pitt stars as a goofy mobster, Jerry, given an ultimatum by each his boss and his girlfriend. He chooses life and heads South to Mexico in order to retrieve an extremely valuable, yet cursed gun.This plot is refreshing, unpredictable, and darkly humorous. If you are looking for an action/comedy and something new then this is a movie for you. You can't help but enjoy Jerry's awkward mannerisms and empathize with a multi-dimensional character.Roberts is a let-down in this film. The alternating plots will keep you engaged as Jerry struggles with himself and the supposed curse, paralleling Samantha's growing relationship with the gay hit-man who keeps her hostage. However when Roberts and Pitt are together the chemistry just doesn't seem to be there.The juxtaposition between the story behind "The Mexican" to Pitt's and Roberts' characters was twisting and pretty cool at the end. The plot does tend to fall off the pace slightly but maintains itself as fun and unpredictable throughout.