The Mexican
by
Lovell Mahan-Moutaw

The stars of this show include four rather interesting necklaces worn by Julia Roberts, two really cool rings on Brad Pitt's fingers and two pretty neat bracelets around Roberts' ankles.

Oh, and the gun.

The Mexican is a beautiful, hand tooled gun that carries a curse.

It seems that it isn't unusual that Jerry (Pitt) would get the assignment to go to Mexico, pick up the gun and bring it back to his "boss" Margolis. Jerry doesn't have a lot of good luck, and this bad luck got him mixed up with the likes of crime boss Margolis in the first place.

Sam (Roberts) is none-too-happy that Jerry has taken this "last job" of picking up The Mexican. She and Jerry were supposed to be headed to Vegas to start a new life. Jerry couldn't say no to the job, though, as it would mean the end of his life. As it is with Jerry, things don't go well when he goes to pick up the gun. Furthermore, Sam isn't waiting for Jerry to come back. She's taken off to Vegas without him.

Enter Leroy (James Gandolfini) who kidnaps Sam to keep Jerry in line (as this gun is very valuable and since everything went wrong, people think Jerry is trying to actually steal it). Leroy is a gay hitman who is charmed by Sam, and they pick up a gay postman, dance around in sequined pants and boas to "Safety Dance" or some such 80s hit, and essentially have a good time getting to know each other, psychoanalyzing each other, and becoming fast friends.

Meanwhile, Jerry runs ino one fuck-up after another.

It's all hard to describe, as there are many twists and turns. It is often quite funny. It is often quite strange. My reaction to it is ambivalence, except when it comes to Roberts' and Pitt's accessories. I would really like to own his rings. They're spectacular and just my style.

Anyway. Roberts and Pitt do not share the screen very often. In the first ten minutes of the film they have a fight scene that is not written or performed very well. It was, in fact, painfully bad. I was uncomfortable watching it as I thought it was an indication of bad things to come. Then she calls him a blame shifter and then screams for a time out and I nearly died laughing. So, it was an indication of things to come...the good and the bad.

I don't think they have too much chemistry, Pitt and Roberts. I think they were supposed to, even though they didn't share a lot of screen time, and the point of their relationship is that they could make it work regardless of how dysfunctional they were - or she was, a horrible woman, and I fear one who reminds me of me with all her psychobabble and her ability to charm gay men. It is supposed to be a romance, though, and the chemistry failed for me. They even kissed closed-mouthed. This is not good. I don't particularly love watching two stars sticking their tongues down each other's throats, but a little passion was definitely needed.

After watching this film (and wishing for those rings and wishing to find a man who can make a t-shirt over a long sleeve t-shirt look sexy), I kept thinking, why did these three (Roberts, Pitt and Gandolfini) make this movie? It is entertaining, but not hugely entertaining, and it was interesting but not hugely interesting. It keeps you guessing but it also keeps you a little bit confused. It is hard to follow although you don't care much because you are bedazzled by Roberts' ankle bracelets so you aren't paying that much attention anyway. I know this makes little sense but then so does the movie, so take it as you will.

I would very much like to have dinner with Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini. I think they would all be fun, interesting, thoughtful people. But I don't think I'd like to sit down with the three of them together. It would be too overwhelming. Do I recommend The Mexican? Yes, but only so someone can explain it to me. Not the story, I get that, but, well, everything else. I can't say for sure why it's not good, nor can I say that it's definitely bad.

What I can can say is that I would love to own those rings.

CineScene, 2001