Customer Reviews

The Mexican

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(33)
2 star:		(27)
1 star:		(42)

 

 

'The Mexican' has a good mix of comedy, romance, action, adventure, drama and suspense. Very enjoyable movie. Julia plays a wonderful quirky, smartypants, sensitive, woman in love. Brad does very well as a slightly lost, good hearted semi-boyfriend just trying to keep himself alive while hoping that his semi-girlfriend will somehow understand. James puts in a stellar performance as the guy who is "very sensitive for a cold-blooded killer".

I recommend giving this movie a shot. Leave your expectations at the door and just enjoy the show for what it is ... a quirky kinda dark romantic comedy. It is well done, combining romance, action and emotional impact with comedy.

There are some very funny scenes, a few somewhat deep scenes that deal with relationship issues and some dramatic scenes that are sad and some that are happy, all of them touching. There are also some subtle jokes, so keep your eyes and ears open!

Admittedly, there was a point where I felt that the movie was going on a bit long, but it quickly became interesting again and I forgot about that.

When you watch this movie, I recommend taking special note of the three main character's eyes. The actors very effectively express their character's emotions and thoughts with their eyes.

Enjoy!

Boy has girl. Boy tries to keep girl by severing his connections to organized crime but has to do one more job of retrieving an antique Mexican pistol which is cursed. Boy loses girl. Girl gets kidnapped to insure that the Boy gets the job done. Lots of people try to make sure the Boy doesn't get the job done. Mayhem ensues.

If you like sequential movies, if you don't like movies that jump back and forth in time and place, if you are a parent that must leave the room constantly, do not get this movie. If you want to live in a vicarious boy/girl relationship with Julia Roberts or Brad Pitt then do not get this movie.

Cinemaniacs and filmography sickos (such as myself) that watch a movie 5 times to figure out that "cool camera angle" or particular acting dynamic, come on in. The water is FINE!

If you want to see a good but strange movie that truly shows J.R.'s subtle but amazing breadth of ability then see "The Mexican". Brad Pitt also gives a good performance. The production stands on its own as suitably weird, trust me, but if dropping acid were legal I'd make the suggestion just because it couldn't get any more bizarre. Warning: you may feel tempted to adopt Leroy (played by James Gandolfini), the hit man reluctantly getting in touch with his true self. Absolutely fantastic. He plays this with more realism (if anything in this movie could be considered realistic) and balance than Robert DeNiro in Anaylyze This. I really look forward to seeing more of his work.

I only gave it 3 stars because I felt that the plot device (the cursed pistol) was a bit meaningless even in farcicle mode, and the movie doesn't seem to hit its mark squarely or successfully as some hybrid cross between a continuous story and a contiguous collection (ala Twenty Bucks or Four Rooms).

The acting alone is worth seeing this film. J.R.'s snap switch between angry girlfriend to scared hostage is very good, but it's her subtle shift between hostage to guidance counselor that I really loved. It's a lot of jumping around and she doesn't lose you. THAT'S what makes Ms. Roberts a great actress.

Brad Pitt also did a credible job. I just don't think the story shifts or dialog had the same opportunities to show off his virtuosity in the same way as he did in Meet Joe Black.

This movie got some attention since it has two big Hollywood stars in it, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. However, it`s not too enticing or convincing, just a merely entertaining mix with bits of romantic comedy, thriller, road movie, action and an offbeat feel that tries to reach cult status. It`s a decent effort, but the characters aren`t very intriguing (Pitt plays a dumb pretty boy, Roberts is in another bland role and only James Gandolfini, the best element here, truly convinces as an interesting gay hitman), the plot is full of ups and downs and it runs for way too long. At parts it even comes close to Tarantino/ Robert Rodriguez territory, yet as a whole it`s too muddled and uneven to suceed. Director Gore Verbinski offers a couple of nice shots of Mexico with good atmosphere and an appropriatte soundtrack, making for a mildly enjoyable cinematic experience. Still, this is just fast-food cinema overall. Not memmorable, but worth watching once.
A decent rental.

So here we have this great mix of Brad Pitt, which is one of the greatest actors around (not just a pretty face..he is a wonderful actor and there is no doubt about that ) and Julia Roberts which has earned her reputation(and is really looking good) and does a great job in this incredible movie. I think the script was well written..the dialogues were fun and well developed, making sense as you follow along.
The settings for this movie coudn't be more accurate and precise for it truly represents an ambience of what "The Mexican" is.
It's just a simple movie but it has a certain charm that atracted me , because all the elements blend in together and gives you the final result: Fun,romance,excitement and action!
Let's not forget the soundtrack which is well balanced within each scene and really does the work in creating an enviroment and even brings up emotions within each part. It's easy to identify with the characters and the way they interact with each other.
I recomend this movie 100%..it's worth a look. Maybe people were expecting a different movie due to the cast.. it may not be revolutionary..but it sure is a respectable work of art.

The pairing of Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts in "The Mexican" would have seemed, on paper, to be made in heaven. But in reality it's the pairing of James Gandolfini and Julia Roberts that is truly charming. Julia and Brad play a "can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em couple" who are very near splittsville. Brad is a low level criminal who promises Julia that retrieving a stolen priceless revolver in Mexico will be his last mission before he becomes a law abiding citizen. Julia, nostrils aflare and red hair flying doesn't believe him for a minute and takes off for Las Vegas. En route she meets up with Gandolfini, a gay(!) bag man for the mob, who not only saves her life but kidnaps her as a means of getting hold of the priceless revolver mentioned above called "The Mexican," by the way. WHEW! The scenes between Roberts and Gandolfini are quite touching and honest but the complicated plot keeps getting in the way of any real bond between them. Pitt is very believable and charming as a bumbling, tongue-tied crook and he has several fun scenes in Mexico with the locals. "The Mexican" is not the finest movie ever made but it's fun and all the principle actors are brimming over with buckets of charisma. So on a balmy summer night what could be better viewing, along with a 6pk of Corona,pickled pigs feet and some nacho chips? Ole'

"The Mexican" wants us to believe that since we've got Brad Pitt and Julia "White Teeth" Roberts in a movie, a coherent script is optional. Sadly, only the most passive of viewers will find this an acceptable mix; not only is this film incredibly overlong for the material, it ends up being boring and closes with an overwhelming sense of futility and will leave most questioning, "So...what?"
Pitt does his best spastic loser impression, bumbling around the movie and trying to fix things with his girlfriend, an often-hysterical Roberts. Wyman's script is a lot less fun than it seems to think it is; attempts to make this a condensed "Way Of The Gun"-style gritty adventure as well as a comment on the dynamics of two people in impossible love fail horribly. In fact, since neither concept is properly developed, moments of startling violence look like a gimmick, and it's hard to believe for one frame of the movie that Pitt and Roberts' characters are/were ever/will ever be in love.
The one bright spot of the movie is Gandolfini, whose complex (or at least moreso than any other character in this mess) hitman is brought to life by his trademark mix of warmth and alarming force.
Unfortunately, he can't come close to saving the movie; "The Mexican" is a pointless and meandering movie so set in trying to be five or six other movies that it can't make its own name for itself.
Interestingly, the deleted scenes on the DVD fill out some substantial plot holes, but otherwise don't explain how with two hours of screen time (and nearly 140 minutes with deleted scenes in the mix), a promising crew and two of the biggest stars in America today can accomplish nothing and have you caring much less than you did when you walked in.

Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts in their first film together! It will be the Romance of the Century. Well, no. The makers of "The Mexican" have created a film in which the two leads spend the majority of the film apart. Folly? Well, no.

Jerry (Pitt) is a low-level errand boy for some local gangsters. He promises his self-help crazed girlfriend, Sam (Roberts), that he will settle down and find a respectable job, leaving that life behind. Jerry's boss has other ideas. Jerry must make one last run to pay him back for all of the jobs Jerry has screwed up. Jerry must go to Mexico to retrieve a legendary pistol called `The Mexican'. Sam is fed-up and leaves for Vegas without Jerry. Jerry heads for Mexico and runs into many complications. One of these complications is that Sam is kidnapped by Leroy (James Gandolfini), a hit man hired by Jerry's boss to babysit Sam and ensure that Jerry is successful.

"The Mexican" is essentially two road movies. The story of Jerry's trip to Mexico and Sam's trip to Vegas are told concurrently for much of the film. Each story is interesting and, at times, funny. But what these stories do is keep the two stars apart for all but about 30 minutes of the film. The two stories are well-told, but it seems odd that the two actors are apart.

The Mexican is a legendary pistol. The legend behind the firearm is told more than once, each time the legend changes. As we watch these stories unfold, sepia-toned images play out as old newsreels or home movies. This is a nice touch. As the movie tells a story that is slightly over the top, these fable segments help to ground the rest of the film.

Roberts is funny. She plays a fairly high maintenance woman. During the course of the film, she manages to make the audience care about the character. This is a real accomplishment given our initial impression of her character. Pitt is also good. A low-life but likable enough character.

James Gandolfini is superb. Leroy's job is to grab Sam and hold her as insurance. As she spouts her self-help-isms, Leroy's inner-self is drawn to her. As they become friends, his professional life begins to conflict with his personal life. As they become friends, they share personal things which surprise us and make us laugh. Leroy's character makes a major revelation and Gandolfini makes this completely believable.

"The Mexican" is not the film most people are expecting. Is that a good thing? Well, yes.

Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts star in this dark comedy/low budget action movie. ''The Mexican'' is about a guy named Jerry (Pitt) who works for a crime boss. One day the crime boss, asks Jerry for one last ''job'' before Jerry decides to quit working for him and pay of his debts. The ''job'' though isn't as easy as Jerry thinks it is. He is asked to find a rare gun that is worth alot of money in Mexico.

Jerry's girlfriend , a nieve and spoiled brat named Samantha (Roberts fits the role perfectly ) reacts to Jerry last job like a bat out of hell. She immediately tells Jerry that if he goes to this job that she will never take him back, and to not both coming to her. The character of Samantha is as shallow and mean as a woman can get, I almost get shivers down my spine when I think that women like Samantha exist, because they aren't worth fighting for.

What Samantha doesn't realize is that Jerry is doing this job for her out of love. Jerry wants to pay his debts , and to pay of this debts requires doing this job in Mexico.
Pitt while not being the charasmatic actor, does at least add some depth and character to Jerry.

Anyhow once Jerry arrives in Mexico (a pretty dangerous place in some areas, but enjoyable in others) meets his contact who is going to give the rare gun to him.

However, things go horribly wrong when the contact Jerry is with literally dies
in front of him during a midnight celebration in Mexico. Jerry at first does not know the guy is dead, until he notices the bloody headshot on the car seat where he places the body in!!! Uggh.

This is only the start of a bad situation for Jerry. Once Jerry's crime boss finds out that he has fowled things up (although it's not his fault this guy is dead) sends in a psychopath killer named Leroy (James Gandolfini ) to hold his girlfriend Sam as hostage, while Jerry tries to come back to his boss with the antique gun.

One of the big problems the Mexican is the load of unlikeable characters in the
film. Brad Pitt's character of Jerry is probably the only somewhat likeable character in the film. Julia Roberts (again in her usual uncharasmatic self) as Sam, doesn't really
show any love or compassion only up to the point where she herself becomes involved in Jerry's situation. She only really cares about herself.

Then there's Gandolifini's character who can be best characterized as self hypocriting homosexual, hitman. which in fact he is if you watch the whole film. Gandolfini is best known for playing the paranoid , lovable, and evil Tony Soprano in the Sopranos but his role in that overrated, and his role in this film is forgettable.

The Mexican is not a total waste of a film, although much of it is.

I loved the twists in the film that the Mexican's in the film, from the villages to the cops were smarter than the dumb gringo (Jerry) who comes to look for the ancient gun for his boss. In fact, the Mexican's gave me such a good laugh, that I thought they were probably the best actors in the film. Every stereotype that Jerry and his white crime buddies put on them is eventually thrown back in their face with big laughs.

That's all I can say, I won't spoil it though by going into the exact dialogue. The film also has a couple of good twists in the middle, and near the end. However, the Mexican though has so many problems with it, that keep it from leaving a lasting impression and making it a likeable film that I can't recommend buying.

Renting it though is a different matter, you'll probably get some good laughs from it like I did, but that's it.

As Roger Ebert would say ''Two Thumbs Down'' but give it a viewing however don't expect to be blown away by this low budget film because you wont.

A film that was a pleasant little surprise especially considering how easily the people who made it could have turned it into a glossy, star-powered film. Instead, they have made a quaint, interesting and entertaining film where the supporting characters can be more interesting than the super-star mains.

It has been said before but the most interesting part of this movie is how the director has managed to get two of the biggest names in Hollywood, have them apart for three quarters of the movie and have it all work out for the better. This was an excellent choice to make. With this happening the film is no longer supremely star driven and it can focus more on its plot and other characters instead of Robert's and Pitt's pretty faces. It was a risk and I think the film may have suffered financially because of it (this was not a huge film for either stars) but critically the film has been praised.

Both Pitt and Roberts are excellent together and apart. Pitt is enjoyable to watch as his character squirms through all of the mishaps that occur. Roberts is delightful, as usual, and it was nice to see her in a more down-to-earth role. Both stars, however, are completely blown off of the screen by James Gandolfini's fantastic portrayal as a hitman sent to keep tabs on Roberts' character. The scenes with him are the best in the film and all of his verbal exchanges with Robert's are great. The two of them seem to work off of one another and they raise simple scenes to a higher level with genuine non-sexual, on-screen chemistry.

The directing is not flashy and that fits the story and the feel of the film very well. The decision to keep the stars apart was a brilliant move and it is what made the film great. The director appeared to know exactly what part of the story to focus on at each moment and this made a potentially confusing film easy to follow. He has a strong sense of story and an obvious talent.

A wonderful, fairly light film that is a hidden gem amongst many of the star-powered films out there. This film reminds us why these two are stars in the first place: they are great actors. The film is funny and exciting, at times romantic and highly recommended. Give it a try, you may be pleasantly surprised too.

Thanxs...

The Mexican is a great old fashioned type of comedy film. Brad Pitt is at his zany best and Julia Roberts is just beautiful and looks like she had a lot of fun filming this movie.

The support cast were also fabulous. When you watch it just check your brain at the door and watch the movie for what it is. Great fun