The Mexican (2001)

A man tries to transport an ancient gun called The Mexican, believed to carry a curse, back across the border, while his girlfriend pressures him to give up his criminal ways.

Director:

Gore Verbinski

Writer:

J.H. Wyman

Stars:

Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, James Gandolfini

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brad Pitt	...	Jerry Welbach
Julia Roberts	...	Samantha Barzel
James Gandolfini	...	Winston Baldry
J.K. Simmons	...	Ted Slocum
Bob Balaban	...	Bernie Nayman
Sherman Augustus	...	Well Dressed Black Man
Michael Cerveris	...	Frank
Richard Coca	...	Car Thief #1
David Krumholtz	...	Beck
Castulo Guerra	...	Joe the Pawnshop Owner
Mayra Serbulo	...	Emanuelle (as Maira Serbulo)
Salvador Sánchez	...	Gunsmith
Alan Ciangherotti	...	Gunsmith's Assistant (as Alan Cianguerotti)
Melisa Romero	...	Gunsmith's Daughter
Ernesto Gómez Cruz	...	Tropillo

Storyline

Jerry Welbach is given two ultimatums. His mob boss wants him to travel to Mexico to get a priceless antique pistol called "The Mexican" or he will suffer the consequences. The other ultimatum comes from his girlfriend Samantha, who wants him to end his association with the mob. Jerry figures that being alive, although in trouble with his girlfriend is the better alternative so he heads south of the border. Finding the pistol is easy but getting it home is a whole other matter. The pistol supposedly carries a curse - a curse Jerry is given every reason to believe, especially when Samantha is held hostage by the gay hit man Leroy to ensure the safe return of the pistol.

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Plot Keywords:

pistol | curse | hostage | mexico | storytelling | 

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Taglines:

love with the safety off

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Dreamworks SKG

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

2 March 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mexican

Filming Locations:

Belz Factory Outlet Mall - 7400 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$34,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$1,307,644 (Spain) (17 August 2001)

Gross:

$2,940,996 (Spain) (14 September 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, Newmarket Capital Group, Lawrence Bender Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite the fact that this was filmed in Super 35, "Filmed in Panavision" is listed in the end credits.

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Goofs

In the bar where he meets Beck, Jerry orders tequila and takes a sip from the shot glass, leaving it a bit over half full. A moment later, just before the bartender drinks it, the shot glass is completely full.

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Quotes

Samantha: You have managed to Forrest Gump your way through this.

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Crazy Credits

At the very end of the credits, Samantha whispers "I love you, Jerry".

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Connections

Features The Dukes of Hazzard (1979)

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Soundtracks

"These Boots Are Made For Walkin'"
Written by Lee Hazlewood
Performed by Nancy Sinatra
Courtesy of Boots Enterprises Inc.

User Reviews

The Last Assignment Is The Last Straw

Luckless Brad Pitt can't seem to work off a debt that he owes crime boss Gene Hackman in an unbilled role. Four years earlier he got into a fender bender with Hackman right at the moment that Hackman was carrying someone in the trunk of his car. Only because it was a live someone, Hackman got off with a few years in the joint, but he makes sure Pitt pays and pays for that fender bender.

His last assignment seems simple enough go to Mexico and find a bring back an antique pistol, a real piece of craftsmanship that several legends have been told about. But even that last assignment is the last straw for his girlfriend Julia Roberts. She gives him the old heave ho as he leaves for Mexico.

But just to make sure Pitt follows through, Roberts is kidnapped and held hostage by James Gandolfini, a gay hit man with whom she bonds rather strangely with.

Of course you don't expect things to go smoothly for Pitt. The Mexican is one of those murphy's law films, if anything can go wrong it does go wrong.

The Mexican is a film that was made more than likely for no other reason than let's team Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts and get some real box office out of it. They seem to work well together, but this very quirky film just doesn't quite jell. Possibly it should have been played more as an out and out comedy than it was. James Gandolfini comes out best in this film.

Still fans of Pitt, Roberts, and the Sopranos might like it. Although if you go in expecting to see Tony Sooprano, fuggedaboutit.