Get the Gringo (2012)

A career criminal nabbed by Mexican authorities is placed in a tough prison where he learns to survive with the help of a young boy.

Director:

Adrian Grunberg (as Adrian Grünberg)

Writers:

Mel Gibson, Stacy Perskie

Stars:

Mel Gibson, Kevin Balmore, Daniel Giménez Cacho

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mel Gibson	...	Driver
Kevin Balmore	...	Kid (as Kevin Hernandez)
Daniel Giménez Cacho	...	Javi
Jesús Ochoa	...	Caracas
Dolores Heredia	...	Kid's Mom
Peter Gerety	...	Embassy Guy
Roberto Sosa	...	Carnal (as Roberto Sosa Martinez)
Peter Stormare	...	Frank
Mario Zaragoza	...	Vasquez
Gerardo Taracena	...	Romero
Dean Norris	...	Bill
Tenoch Huerta	...	Carlos (as Tenoch Huerta Mejia)
Fernando Becerril	...	Prison Director
Scott Cohen	...	Frank's Lawyer
Bob Gunton	...	Thomas Kaufman

Storyline

Heading toward the Mexican border, a getaway driver disguised as a clown and his wounded accomplice try to escape the American Police with a loot of over $2 million hidden in the trunk of the car. In a desperate attempt to break through the thick border fence, the driver crashes the car, the accomplice dies and he inevitably gets apprehended by Mexican Police officers Romero and Vasquez who want the money just for themselves. As the only American inmate in the infamous "El Pueblito" Mexican prison, which resembles more of a small village of convicts rather than a usual prison, the driver quickly gets the nickname "The Gringo" and finds out first hand how rough it is to be a stranger in the perilous world of Javi, the ruthless crime lord who runs the prison. Sooner or later, the Gringo will form an alliance with a 10-year-old kid whose peculiar immunity in this mad place will efficiently keep him alive, only to realise that in this pit, everyone knows about the $2 million. In the end, ...

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Plot Keywords:

electric torture | mexican | prison | career criminal | mexico | 

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Taglines:

The odds are against him. So is everyone else.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language, some drug use and sexual material

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Official site [UK]

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

22 June 2012 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Icon Productions, Icon Productions, Airborne Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While filming on location in Veracruz, Mexico, Mel Gibson learned that an elderly Mexican extra was suffering from cancer. Gibson got the man a visa by writing to the American ambassador, and then personally arranged for him to be flown to an alternative cancer therapist in Arizona.

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Goofs

When Mel Gibson's character is driving the VW into the Port Mart parking lot driver's side shot reveals driver is wearing glasses yet Mel never wore any.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Clown: I need a doctor!
Driver: I'll get you a vet, you son of a bitch! You should'a shot him first!
Bill: [over radio] We've got two clowns heading south on Wall 51, four miles from the border.
Driver: And stop bleeding on my money!
Bill: [over radio] All units be advised, suspects are armed and dangerous.
Driver: [Clown vomiting blood] What the fuck?
Driver: [narration] Well, hello boys and girls. there's nothing worse than a sad clown. Unless it's a clown bleeding internally and coughing it all over your money.

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Connections

References Braveheart (1995)

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Soundtracks

Butterballs
Written and performed by Antonio Pinto

User Reviews

Payback Mel Mixes it up in Mexico, Muy Bien

Caught this movie at the cinema in Dubai (so parts may have been edited). Quite entertaining, Gibson in the Payback-type character mode (actually I think it is the same guy), kind of the anti-hero who you nevertheless root for given the corrupt scum around him. The movie is often laugh out loud funny - I know that because I was the only one laughing - but that may be you know, I was probably the only American, some things may have gone too fast for people.

The plot is a bit silly, but great characters, some memorable scenes, really unexpected locations and scenery, the production design was quite extraordinary, well-paced, good action sequences...

Overall, pretty good value for 30 dirhams. Basically, if you liked Payback, this is your movie.