Themes: One Last Heist, Kidnapping, Fish Out of Water
Main Cast: Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, James Gandolfini, Bob Balaban, J.K. Simmons
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 123 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A clumsy criminal is put in a position where he not only has to save his own skin, but that of his girlfriend in this comedy with strong undercurrents of romance. Jerry Welbach (Brad Pitt) is a low-level Mafia "mechanic" whose ineptitude is countered by frequent (but unpredictable) bursts of dumb luck. Jerry's girlfriend Samantha (Julia Roberts) wants him to get out of the business, and after his latest blunder lands capo Arnold Margolese (Gene Hackman) in jail, so does mid-level crime kingpin Bernie Nayman (Bob Balaban). But Bernie insists that Jerry do one last errand for the mob before they let him find employment elsewhere -- he has to go to Mexico and recover a rare and very valuable pistol, which is said to be cursed. While Samantha objects to Jerry taking the assignment, he isn't in much of a position to argue; Jerry heads south of the border, while Samantha, in a huff, sets out for Las Vegas. Once in Mexico, Jerry finds the pistol easily enough, but making his way back to the States proves to be an unexpected challenge. Meanwhile, Jerry's superiors want insurance that he'll return with the goods, so they hire Leroy (James Gandolfini), a hitman, to kidnap Samantha and hold her hostage until Jerry comes back. However, Samantha and Leroy quickly strike up a friendship, and she soon learns the gunman has a sensitive side he doesn't show to the world -- along with a few other secrets. The Mexican marked the first screen pairing for mega-stars Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt -- though, given the film's narrative arc, they play only a handful of scenes together. The film was directed by Gore Verbinski, who won awards for his work in commercials before breaking through with the quirky family comedy Mouse Hunt. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
David Krumholtz - Beck; Richard Coca - Car Thief; Michael Cerveris - Frank; Sherman Augustus - Well Dressed Black Man; Castulo Guerra - Joe the Pawnshop Owner; Gene Hackman - Arnold Margolese
Credit
Michael Atwell - Art Director, Diego Sandoval - Art Director, Denise Chamian - Casting, William S. Beasley - Co-producer, Paul Hellerman - Co-producer, Colleen Atwood - Costume Designer, Rick Frederick - First Assistant Director, Gore Verbinski - Director, M. James Arnett - Second Unit Director, Craig Wood - Editor, Chris J. Ball - Executive Producer, William Tyrer - Executive Producer, J.H. Wyman - Executive Producer, Aaron Ryder - Executive Producer, Alan Silvestri - Composer (Music Score), Cecilia Montiel - Production Designer, Dariusz Wolski - Cinematographer, Lawrence Bender - Producer, John Baldecchi - Producer, Robert Greenfield - Set Designer, Juan Pablo - Set Designer, Sandra Cabriada - Set Designer, Juan Pablo Garcia - Set Designer, Lee Orloff - Sound/Sound Designer, Tom Myers - Sound/Sound Designer, Seth Arnett - Stunts Coordinator, J.H. Wyman - Screenwriter, Lee Orloff - Supervising Sound Editor, Tim Holland - Supervising Sound Editor, Robert Greenfield - Set Decorator, Sandra Cabriada - Set Decorator
The script was originally intended to be filmed as an independent production without major motion picture stars, but Roberts and Pitt, who had for some time been looking for a project they could do together, learned about it and decided to make it. The movie was then advertised as a typical romantic comedy star vehicle, somewhat misleadingly, as the script does not focus solely on the Pitt/Roberts relationship and the two share relatively little screen time together. Ultimately, the film earned $66.8 million at the U.S box office.[1]
The story follows Jerry Welbach (Pitt) as he travels through Mexico to find an antique gun, The Mexican, and smuggle it into the United States. Five years earlier Wellbach had caused a traffic accident in which he hit the car of local mobster Arnold Margolese (Gene Hackman), who was jailed for five years after the police searched his car following the crash. In compensation for the jail time, Welbach has been sent on various errands by Margolese's second-in-command, Bernie Nayman (Bob Balaban). This will be his final errand. Welbach has a girlfriend, Samantha (Julia Roberts), who constantly argues with him, among other things about his lack of commitment to their relationship.
The gun has a legendary history, involving a curse involving its likelihood to misfire and its involvement in a jilted love-triangle where it is used as a suicide weapon. The gun smith's assistant was in love with the gunsmith's daughter, and was killed by another interested nobleman, prompting the suicide of their object of affection. The legend is reprised in the story. In a climactic scene, Welbach, Samantha and Margolese's "assistant" Nayman are involved in a brief standoff, with Samantha holding the "cursed" gun.
