The Mexican Review

The Mexican of the title is a pistol with a romantic history or two. Pitt`s character Jerry who`s become indebted to the mob by sheer accident is sent to Mexico to retrieve both the pistol and the mob boss` grandson. This assignment does nothing for his relationship with Samantha - Julia Roberts - who thought they were going to Vegas together so she could pursue a career as a croupier. Jerry`s not that bright and not that lucky either and his Mexican tour of duty proves extremely frustrating. The mob`s not too confident of his return so they send hitman Leroy - James Gandolfini - after Samantha for insurance. She`s stubbornly and naively following her dream in the city of high rollers. What Leroy might not have suspected was Samantha`s self-assertiveness training having its impact on him.......Gore Verbinski had only directed Mouse Hunt before this and here he manages to bring off a rather wry screwball comedy tone that works against a background of threatened and realised violence. The best scenes in the film are those between Leroy and Samantha and when the film relocates to Mexico for its finale without him the film does tend to take a nosedive. Gandolfini is just wonderful as Leroy and I do think that Roberts and Pitt are good sports in this, bringing a degree of expertise to create these larger than life characters. The Mexican is a funny mixture of comedy and violence with a very unromantic romance, there`s an odd tone to the film that while it didn`t win me over completely intrigued me enough to keep me interested.Comments from David StrattonAn engagingly perverse road movie romantic thriller which contrives to separate its potent romantic team - Roberts and Pitt - for most of the running time. Roberts` misadventures are more involving because of the terrific performance of James Gandolfini as the hit-man who kidnaps her. Pitt`s south-of-the-border activities get a little tiresome, though there`s a striking use of unusual locations. The film keeps you on its toes by changing styles and themes, though the device of telling the legend of the pistol three times in mock silent-movie style is tiresome and redundant.