The Mexican

Name: The Mexican
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Crime
Released: March 2, 2001
Duration: 123 min
Rating: 43
Cast: Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts

2001

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Mixed or average reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 112 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 112 Ratings

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The Mexican

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Movie Details & Credits

DreamWorks Distribution | Release Date: March 2, 2001 | R

Starring: Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts

Summary: Jerry Welbach (Pitt) is a reluctant bagman who has been given two ultimatums: The first is from his mob boss to travel to Mexico and retrieve a priceless antique pistol, known as "The Mexican"...or suffer the consequences. The second is from his girlfriend Samantha (Roberts) to end his association with the mob. Jerry figures alive and inJerry Welbach (Pitt) is a reluctant bagman who has been given two ultimatums: The first is from his mob boss to travel to Mexico and retrieve a priceless antique pistol, known as "The Mexican"...or suffer the consequences. The second is from his girlfriend Samantha (Roberts) to end his association with the mob. Jerry figures alive and in trouble with Samantha is better than the more permanent alternative, so he heads south of the border. (Dreamworks SKG)… Expand

Director: Gore Verbinski

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 123 min

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Critic Reviews

Lawrence Toppman

Gandolfini's fans expect something quirky whenever he shows up, and they'll get what they've bargained for. Read full review

Roger Ebert

Gandolfini comes in from left field and provides a character with dimensions and surprises, bringing out the best in Roberts. Their dialogue scenes are the best reason to see the movie. Read full review

Rita Kempley

Like many of his recent films, The Mexican would be an independent movie if Pitt, not to mention the queen of popcorn cinema, weren't part of the picture. This is not your typical star vehicle. Read full review

Bob Graham

Thank God for James Gandolfini. Read full review

Jay Carr

Isolated offbeat moments aside, The Mexican mostly fires blanks.

Ella Taylor

Undisciplined and overstuffed with enough surplus plot twists to make your neck ache, The Mexican affects the tousled look of a self-conscious indie. Read full review

Film.com Robert Horton

Has even less directorial initiative than it has romantic spark. Read full review

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User Reviews

Zanessa250QI

Apr 4, 2016

............................................................................................................Great Movie of Gore Verbinski............................

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

Thegodfatherson

Jul 15, 2013

I love James Gandolfini and Brad Pitt- together the both shine. The Mexican is a 90's old town "aye-mama!" Mexican type thrillers. It's about a gun that is supposed to be cursed and a family man who thinks this job is his last- may get it. It may sound stupid but its funny, crooked story.I love James Gandolfini and Brad Pitt- together the both shine. The Mexican is a 90's old town "aye-mama!" Mexican type thrillers. It's about a gun that is supposed to be cursed and a family man who thinks this job is his last- may get it. It may sound stupid but its funny, crooked story. Julia Roberts is good at least after her Razzie award career. Gandolfini is the villain in this drama comedy and Pitt is just simple awesome.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

EmmaHunt22

Sep 30, 2019

This is my all time favorite movie. It's fun, it has a fantastic cast with beautiful characters, and a healthy, enjoyable plot.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Joel

May 24, 2008

Even the all star cast couldnt really bring alot out of what is an average script at best. Roberts, Pitt and Gandolfini were all superb but at the end of the day the storyline got lost in itself and by the end I couldnt wait for it to finish.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

FilipeNeto

Apr 14, 2018

This film addresses a theme: couple relationships. The subject is the action base and is present even in the legend around the ill- fated gun which gives its name to the film. Directed by Gore Verbinski, the film revolves around the search for an old pistol, ordered by an American mobster toThis film addresses a theme: couple relationships. The subject is the action base and is present even in the legend around the ill- fated gun which gives its name to the film. Directed by Gore Verbinski, the film revolves around the search for an old pistol, ordered by an American mobster to one of his henchmen. It turns out that the henchmen is going through a crisis in courtship and his girlfriend turns out to follow him to Mexico, along with other potentially interested in obtaining the ancient relic.

The main actors in this movie are Brad Pitt (Jerry on paper), Julia Roberts (as Samantha, Jerry's girlfriend), James Gandolfini (as Winston killer) and Gene Hackman (in the role of Margolese, the big boss). Pitt works well in his role, managing to be very good in action scenes and very funny in the most comic parts. Julia Roberts equals him in humor and his boldness makes an excellent counterpoint to the more timid personality Jerry. Its nice to see that the way Pitt and Roberts counteracted this film, giving greater strength to Their fictional relationship. The sets and costumes were well thought out and make use of an elegant and friendly way, the stereotypes about Mexicans.

Not being a memorable film, it is certainly an interesting movie, good for a leisurely late afternoon. Entertains the audience very well, and that is enough for an openly unpretentious film like this.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AndrewT.

Dec 12, 2008

The best scenes are between James Gandolfini and Julia Roberts: some of these are quite affecting. Gandolfini's character is interesting and his acting excellent. The rest of the film is an action/romantics farce which I found fun and entertaining until about the last 20 minutes, which The best scenes are between James Gandolfini and Julia Roberts: some of these are quite affecting. Gandolfini's character is interesting and his acting excellent. The rest of the film is an action/romantics farce which I found fun and entertaining until about the last 20 minutes, which I had to force myself to watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MovieMasterEddy

Apr 3, 2016

'The Mexican': Brad and Julia Misfire!

So Brad and Julia finally coordinated their schedules so they could be in the same movie! As mere mortals, we can only humbly imagine the awesome alignment of personal managers, agents, casting directors and studio executives (and let's not forget'The Mexican': Brad and Julia Misfire!

So Brad and Julia finally coordinated their schedules so they could be in the same movie!
As mere mortals, we can only humbly imagine the awesome alignment of personal managers, agents, casting directors and studio executives (and let's not forget their message-taking, coffee-getting underlings) it must have taken to make this event take place. I mean, people should win Oscars for that stuff, right?

But for now, let me take the time to analyze the movie in which these legends have agreed to appear as characters. This terrible movie in which they have agreed to appear, I should add.

It's called "The Mexican" and features Pitt and Roberts (oh dear, am I listing them in the right order?) as two misfit, offbeat lovers. He's Jerry Welbach, a bagman for a crime syndicate who is trying to get out of the business. She's his girlfriend, Samantha, who's dying to be a Vegas croupier and wants Jerry to quit his dirty work.

Unfortunately, Jerry runs a red light, causing an accident, which indirectly sets into motion a whole series of connected events. His boss is sent to jail, leaving the second-in-command, Bernie (Bob Balaban), to give Jerry an ultimatum: complete one more assignment or get killed.

Jerry goes with the life plan. He agrees to go to Mexico and retrieve a priceless collector's item, an antique pistol known as "the Mexican." This gun has a heartbreaking story behind it, which we learn about over the course of the movie.

Samantha is not happy about this extra mission, and she breaks up with Jerry, whom she considers selfish and incompetent at running his life. She splits for Vegas to realize her gaming dream.

Both run into complications. In Mexico, a freak accident leaves Jerry bearing the blame for a dead man.

This makes his bosses even angrier. En route to Vegas, Samantha runs afoul of two hit men (James Gandolfini and Sherman Augustus), who are battling each other to hold her hostage.

The one who calls himself Leroy (Gandolfini) wins the bloody contest and keeps Samantha prisoner until Jerry brings back that gun. Samantha, who's big on the science of romantic relationships, becomes friendly with her captor. And they bond, despite the situation.

There's much more to this, but I would tax your patience and mental energy to describe it all. On the Mexican side of the border, the movie rolls out the familiar cliches: sullen Mexicans sipping tequila in bars, cars being hijacked under gringos' noses, extended scenes of desolate landscapes, Spaghetti Western guitar licks here and there. You get the idea. Pitt has some very funny moments, but he's the only attraction in a pretty mediocre sojourn in Mexico.

Meanwhile, in the gaming state, it's time for Julia to be Julia, playing cute, crying, smiling, widening her eyes, puffing out that Firestone upper lip and occasionally dipping into that basso profundo voice for comedic effect. It's a familiar routine, which she can do in her sleep; she almost does.

She's not nearly as funny or appealing as Gandolfini, the star of "The Sopranos," a truly funny guy. It's his hangdog, deadpan performance that makes her character look better, which makes his look even better. When Samantha asks Leroy if he's going to kill her, he replies: "Depends on too many variables to answer right now."

Of course, much of the credit for the funny nuggets must go to J.H. Wyman's script, which makes "The Mexican" much more tolerable than it deserves to be. But for the most part, the movie – thanks to the uber-presence of Pitt and Roberts – feels patently inauthentic. For one thing, both stars spend most of the movie apart. Perhaps this is where all those agents and personal managers exercised their "talents," by making sure their clients got to strut their stuff individually, while smaller marquee names provided ego-less backup. The result: At no point do Jerry and Samantha seem romantically connected at all. And what is meant to be the movie's biggest concern – together or not – becomes its smallest.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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