Film Review: ''The Mexican''

THE MEXICAN is a gun. Not just an ordinary gun, but an antique of exquisite artistic value. And it is cursed. Nobody who fires it stays alive.

Jerry Welbech (Brad Pitt) has a simple task... go to Mexico, find the gun and bring it back to his boss. But it is not so simple, as he is always messing up simple things and then as his girlfriend Sam puts it, ``Forrest Gump your way through things''.

Pretty and independent, Samantha (Julia Roberts), Sam for short, wants Jerry to quit his `job' and head for Las Vegas.

Jerry works out his options and decides that it is better to go to Mexico than face Sam's tantrums. Sam throws him out, bag and baggage. Literally.

Jerry hits the highway and thus begins his trip to a dusty, deserted village in Mexico. He finds the gun very easily. But he loses it as quickly and in the process, discovers that there are quite a few hoodlums after the gun. He also learns about the legend associated with the pistol.

Meanwhile, Sam heads for Las Vegas. Along the way, she is held hostage by a hitman Leroy (James Gandoljoni). A special bond of friendship develops between them. But it is shortlived. The film ends on a predictable note.

A Dreamworks production, ``The Mexican'' hit the headlines when its star cast was announced. With Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt, it was a casting coup. But one wonders what the big stars are doing in a film like this. For all that hype, the two of them do not have many scenes together on screen.

Of course, Roberts is her usual perky self. She is natural at comedy and emotional scenes, and her sense of timing when it comes to dialogue delivery, is just right.

Though there is not much scope for Brad Pitt to prove his histrionic abilities, he is quite convincing. But the surprise package is James Gandoljoni as the violent hitman with a soft heart.

One must mention cinematography. Dariusz Wolski captures the arid, dry landscape of Mexico and some of the aerial shots are simply breathtaking. The background score is by Alan Silverstri.

At the end of it all, one does not know what director Gore Verbinski intended to make - a comedy or an action thriller.

Whatever the genre, the film is funny and entertaining.

SAVITHA GAUTAM

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Section  : Entertainment
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