Adventure? Excitement? A Jedi craves not these things. But after watching “The Mexican,” starring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, a Jedi may change his mind.
“The Mexican” is a fun and funny ride across the Mexican border in pursuit of a legendary gun. Jerry (Pitt) is a walking accident who bumbles his way into getting involved with the wrong people. Fortunately, this is his last job. All he has to do is go to Mexico to retrieve a very old, very valuable, very cursed gun. Simple, right? Of course not.
With Jerry “Forrest Gumping” his way through his quest for the cursed gun, there is nothing that goes right, which is precisely what makes this movie work so well.
James Gandolfini (HBO’s “The Sopranos”) enters the convoluted mess as Leroy, a hit man hired to “regulate funkiness” in the Jerry situation. No one is to be trusted with this gun, as it is highly sought after and worth a lot of money. In order to protect his boss’s investment, he kidnaps Sam (Roberts), Jerry’s sweet but slightly neurotic girlfriend.
While all of the characters are intriguing and fun to watch, Leroy is the only one the audience can really take seriously. He’s a good-hearted hit man with a complicated past.
It’s good to see that movies that don’t suck are hitting the theaters. “The Mexican” is one such movie. The characters are interesting, funny, and sympathetic; the plot keeps you on your toes and captivated. And the humor, oh the humor. This movie is FUNNY. It’s not “Something About Mary” funny, it’s real-life funny. “Fate” is a basic premise of the movie, and it’s enjoyable to watch things go from bad to worse, then somehow turn around.
The relationship between Sam and Jerry is a combination of love, vicious arguments, and therapy. It’s beautiful, comical, and real. While it may not be the best depiction of a couple in love, it’s definitely an interesting one.
One major disappointment in this movie is the fact that Pitt and Roberts have very few scenes together. Their on-screen chemistry is great, and the energy they show during Jerry and Sam’s lovers quarrels is amazing. Unfortunately, they are apart from one another for the better part of the film, with Jerry in Mexico and Sam with Leroy in Las Vegas. This is the chief downfall of this movie, as Jerry and Sam’s interactions are what bring so much life to the film.
To sum up for the chick flickers, this is the tale of a bumbling idiot with a good heart and his Valium-deprived girlfriend trying to find a way to live together.
For the testosterone driven audience, there is a whole lotta action, fighting, and killing going on. And for the philosophical moviegoers of the greater Cullowhee area, there is an underlying theme of fatalism and virtue penetrating the plot.
“The Mexican” has got something for everyone, and is far from disappointing. While this feature by no means screams Oscar nominee, it’s a great movie, and well worth $5.00.
