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THE MEXICAN (2001) Starring: Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, James
Gandolfini, and Gene Hackman A star collaboration between two heavyweight
actors such as Brad and Julia Roberts, what could be better then that?
Unfortunately, the answer to that question is nowhere in sight with this
lifeless romantic comedy revolving around two mismatched nitwits who seem to
have the worst in luck when it comes to each everything else. But with
Roberts colorful history of carrying films, and Pitt’s constant altercations
of his each character he plays (sometimes he succeeds superbly, as FIGHT
CLUB proved), one would think that the film could work. But everything
lags on an on to an unconvincing yet predictable outcome. Pitt plays lovable moron Jerry Welbach who unfortunately
ran into some bad luck five years earlier when he accidentally ran a red
light and smashed into the backend of a car. More unfortunate was that the
car was being driven by a mob boss, and inside the trunk of the car was a
hostage. The police arrest the mob boss who isn’t too happy with the
wide-eyed idiot who put him in jail for five years. Instead of killing the
schmuck he had him work for him and his business, now being handled by his
outside men. And, for the past five years Jerry has been running little
errands now and then and is now on the verge of paying back the debt. But
loud-mouthed girlfriend Samantha (Roberts), is fed up and tired of Jerry
being more committed to doing what he is told then being a good petting dog
and doing what she wants (does she not know if he doesn’t do as he is told
then he is a dead man?). Sam wants to movie to Las Vegas and it’s now or
never. But Jerry is now assigned to his last job, and that is to pick up an
old Mexican pistol with a zany past and deliver it to his employers. The
pistol is in Mexico waiting for him, so he heads down south of the border
while Sam takes off to Vegas. And of course, one bumbling dumbbell Jerry gets
to Mexico, one disaster follows another, as he isn’t the only person
interested in retrieving the pistol. And poor Sam is kidnapped by a sensitive
gay hitman with the heart of gold (played by Gandolfini) as insurance for
Jerry to come back with the pistol (through all of his mishaps, the powers
that be believe Jerry may sell off the gun and take off with the cash). Jerry
continues to screw up, and Sam has several heart to heart talks with her
captor, even encouraging the guy to have a one nightstand with another in a
Vegas hotel. It’s all fun and games when you’re dealing, or hell, even working
for the Mafia. The movie suffers terribly from total lack of
chemistry between Pitt and Roberts. Though I have no complaints for them
being apart for so long, it’s the fact that they are together for such a
short amount of time when we first meet them that there is absolutely no time
to establish any feelings for them. Their first scene together is Sam
throwing Jerry’s stuff from above, as the two bicker and bitch about this and
that and everything else. After listening to her ranting, one would assume
he’d be happy to ditch her. And after getting to know Jerry, one would only
come to the conclusion she is happy to be rid of such a dork who certainly
can’t argue his case very well. Gandolfini is fun to watch, but then
uncomfortable sub-plots concerning him and his past just plug up the scenes
he shares with Roberts. It could be a good sub-plot in another film, but here
it feels awkward and distant and only attempting to make him more sympathetic
and goody goody. His fate in the movie is also undeserved and downright
cruel, and has absolutely no reasoning behind it (though it is pretty much
forgotten by the time the credits have to roll). There are several amusing moments that are done
in flashback sequence revolving around the origins of the pistol. Those
scenes are the funniest, but like the film itself, by the time the final
flashback sequence comes it’s a devastating and tragic scene and of course
has foreshadows events that happen five minutes later on (I guess it was
meant to create suspense, but completely fell short). Gene Hackman makes an unnecessary cameo
appearance as the mob boss, and the only truly note worthy performances comes
from Gandolfini, who deserved a lot better then this. Roberts whines and
coos, and Pitt whines and screams. Between all that whining and babbling
about their relationships together, perhaps the film could have benefited at
creating a relationship between the two. At one point Roberts blurts out, You
have somehow managed to Forrest Gump your way through this. I can’t help
but feel the same way for the script, which lacks any romance or truly great
comedy. The first hour or so promises something enjoyable. But the finale
reminds us it had nothing going for it in the first place. My Grade: D+ |