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, ...

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

Plan your getaway

---

Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

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:

Brownsville, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Airborne Productions, Burk A Project, Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In addition to this movie, only one other Mel Gibson movie has been narrated by him, as the lead character, Payback (1999). In this movie, Driver (Mel) explains how he was once married, but his wife ran off with his former business associate. This same situation actually takes place in Payback, where his wife and business partner double-cross Gibson to run away together. Also, Gibson is a thief in both movies.

---

Goofs

During the police chase in the opening scene, the vehicle being driven is a Mercury Grand Marquis, but a ford emblem is visible on the trunk.

---

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.

---

Connections

Featured in Get the Gringo: Research (2012)

---

Soundtracks

Shoot Out
Written and performed by Antonio Pinto

User Reviews

what a surprisingly wonderful movie!!

i didn't expect this movie being so good, but it's turned out to be not just good but great! Mel Gibson did an outrageously great performance in this movie. an ingenious screenplay with very interesting storyline, not even one second not suspenseful. the directing is way too smooth, the editing, all the Mexican supporting actors, every one of them did such great seamless job like one of the colorful thread being woven so expertly into a wonderful carpet with beautiful and complicated patterns. salute to the director, the three screenplay writers (one of them is Mr. Gibson). this is a very difficult film to shoot but just, again, seamlessly fabricated into a great one. this is a rare film combined with nervous breaking scenarios and plots but at the same time, never forgot to deliver a subtle sense of humor. this is one of the best movies I've ever seen and i believe that most viewers who watched it would agree with me totally. go watch it, guys. I'd also like to congrats Mr. Gibson that he never did anything plastic, not even Botox injections on his old face, yet every wrinkle, every line only makes him an even greater performer. what a treat! thank you, Mr. Gibson, stay cool.