The Mexican (2001)

Sadly Over-hyped

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

There are a few reasons this movie didn't resonate with the culture. 1. Stereotyping of the stars. When you pair two huge movie stars (Roberts & Pitt) this comes with baggage. People, especially Roberts fan want to see her in specific movies playing certain roles to make themselves feel better. Movies are an emotional art. Break this mold, and disappointment. Roberts playing in Oceans 11 brings her back to that safety/comfort zone. This role had F-bombs, violence, and Julia was less than glamorous. Women like to see their star in a pretty dress "red carpet" syndrome, but driving around with some guys in a 1974 El Camino on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.Pitt came out of Fight Club in 1999 and there was still a buzz about that. He doesn't do comedy much (and is good at it) so this was not really a guy flick per se. The casting of the two might be the big blunder but they worked well together IF people could let go.2. The Title. Titles and album covers count! Hang with me here...one of the best pop groups of the 70's was The Babys. Every Journey fan should love this band, but four guys named their band, The Babys! Great music, lousy name. The Mexican, even back in 2001, was weird. I felt a disconnect when I saw the poster driving. The Mexican--Brad Pitt & Julia Roberts...hmmmm. They should have called it The Pistol or The Magic Pistol or something else but The Mexican over a gun with a unique history. Fail. This was a relationship movie, a road trip movie, an escape movie to test a relationship! OMG...how could they not get that!3. No Internet back then...really. People make gut decisions to see a movie. That is why they have movie posters to advertise when you drive, a 2-3 second opportunity to capture your attention to make a decision. Hit or miss. Desire or pass. If the movie trailers had Brad Pitt in close-ups, shots of his pretty face, typical Hollywood fare to market, they should have gone this route to get people in the theater. This is really a movie about relationships and that always sells IF lame suits knew what they were doing which is incredible--all that effort to make a movie and the suits don't even know what it really is about working in the business sector of the "biz"This move also has a great B class of actors; James Gandolfini, Gene Hackman, a new character actor J.K. Simmons, Bob Balaban (people would recognize from a Seinfeld episode)Good movie--see it!

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.

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

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.