The Mexican (2001)

The Mexican (2001): Dir: Gore Verbinski / Cast: Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, James Gandolfini, Bob Balaban, Gene Hackman: The running joke is the constant misinterpretation of a story of a gun called the Mexican and those who fired it. Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts have broken up after she learns that his life of crime isn't over. He is assigned to travel to Mexico to obtain the legendary gun but everything goes wrong. Interesting setup becomes uneven and pointlessly violent. Director Gore Verbinski handles the humour and action well but the screenplay is a mess. This is a set up from his previous junk Mouse Hunt. Pitt never seems to be in the same movie as he is constantly messing up and proving to be the screw up Roberts claimed that he was when she tossed his clothes out the window in the opening. Roberts is in better form due to her kidnap and amusing dealings with her captor. Why we are suppose to care if she and Pitt get back together is beyond me. James Gandolfini delivers the best performance as a gay hit-man sent to kidnap Roberts and then learning a bit about himself and forced to soul search. Bob Balaban also makes an appearance in cardboard fashion. Gene Hackman is a great actor and he appears briefly in a key scene and steals the moment. Well crafted film about misinterpreted information as stories become warped through each passing voice that delivers it. Score: 6 ½ / 10

The Mexican is actually a fun crime-comedy to watch. It a humorous adventure for a priceless cursed pistol. It's not a downright horrible and boring film as some of the critics say it is - it's actually quite fun to watch.This is a movie I liked better than I thought I would - it was funnier than I anticipated. What made the movie so funny was the two lead characters: Jerry (Pitt) and Samantha (Roberts) their relationship with each other really was the best part of the entire film for me.This is a great afternoon comedy film... one that you can simply kick-back and enjoy.7.5/10

Rating-7/10The Mexican is a film that although is never rated that highly, I felt it was kind of good and was enjoyable even with it's flaws that cropped up a lot. With an average acting performance and a basic script you'd be right if you didn't have much expectation going into this, but just give it a chance and it can fully enjoyed by all film fans. I personally felt it was Pretty Good and here below is why I, but many other didn't, felt that way.The story is slow and then kind of fast and fluxuate's between both varied pacing, the plot isn't all that exciting either but it makes for very watchable film and just give it a chance and you may be entertained by this. The film has about 50 scenes where you think it will end but it never does, frustrating yes but I did feel the film was worth watching, even after going through so many end parts to the movie.Brad Pitt is average in this and although he does nothing to harm the film necessarily he doesn't really ever take a firm hold on the piece. Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini work together well and although Roberts as with Pitt isn't at her best, Gandolfini show's off his talents with beautiful ease and although this film is unknown these days, Gandolfini was just brilliant. I didn't care much for support though which did harm the film with stale performances, luckily they aren't seen as much as the main cast at all.Gore Verbinski in the directing role does a job that is fairly good, but is not his best and knowing what he can sometimes do, he fails with this and the positives of the film are not down to him. I felt one part of the film that I personally loved was the setting with some camera shots being doubly beautiful due to location, one great example is where Pitt is crossing a crossroads and looking each way, great camera work with a great locality to match.The film is too long and stretches too much to be considered a straight good film, although it does a good job with the majority of the story, it just falters towards the end and as I said with the multiple possible endings it just can annoy you. The acting also as previously mentioned is poor all round and sometimes it feels like a slight comedy but just manages to avoid being funny as well. Not much more to say negativity way but if you see for yourself, I am sure you may find more bad things than I did.It is hard to say who will like this, people who enjoy fun adventures may enjoy this because it is quite fun, not a stable film by any stretch of the imagination but excitable all the same. Pitt fans won't like this too much as he doesn't get to well, act, and Roberts is the same and seems they were put together as the stars but never see each other in the story. Don't watch it if you don't want to watch a long film with little new to offer, but watch it in a good mood and it is enjoyable.Overall a 7/10, many many people give it lower but I really did feel it was Firmly Kind of Good and as I have said all the way through this review, the film is genuinely a fun one, with lots to offer too. Watch it as I say in a good mood because once you overlook the more serious parts of the film, the more light hearted parts become fun and can be enjoyed, given you open your mind a bit and stop thinking about this critically.

The Mexican is a romantic comedy film that features Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts together with James Gandolfini,J. K. Simmons and an uncredited Gene Hackman.The screenplay has a plot that is an unusual mixture of romantic comedy and road movie.It was originally intended to be filmed as an independent production without major motion picture stars, but Roberts and Pitt, who had for some time been looking for a project they could do together, learned about it and decided to make it. It was directed by Gore Verbinski.In the story,a clumsy criminal is put in a position where he not only has to save his own skin, but that of his girlfriend in this comedy with strong undercurrents of romance. Jerry Welbach is a low-level Mafia "mechanic" whose ineptitude is countered by frequent bursts of dumb luck. Jerry's girlfriend Samantha wants him to get out of the business, and after his latest blunder lands capo Arnold Margolese in jail, so does mid-level crime kingpin Bernie Nayman. But Bernie insists that Jerry do one last errand for the mob before they let him find employment elsewhere -- he has to go to Mexico and recover a rare and very valuable pistol, which is said to be cursed. While Samantha objects to Jerry taking the assignment, he isn't in much of a position to argue; Jerry heads south of the border, while Samantha, in a huff, sets out for Las Vegas. Once in Mexico, Jerry finds the pistol easily enough, but making his way back to the States proves to be an unexpected challenge. Meanwhile, Jerry's superiors want insurance that he'll return with the goods, so they hire Leroy, a hit-man, to kidnap Samantha and hold her hostage until Jerry comes back. However, Samantha and Leroy quickly strike up a friendship, and she soon learns the gunman has a sensitive side he doesn't show to the world -- along with a few other secrets. The Mexican marked the first screen pairing for mega-stars Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt -- though, given the film's narrative arc, they play only a handful of scenes together.That made it less interesting just like the story - which was overbearing and boring at the same time.The comedy did not provide too many laughs and the romance between Jerry and Samantha was least interesting.Despite of the presence of the mega-stars,this is one movie that I mildly recommend as it falls short in entertainment.