Gringo

Dir: Nash Edgerton

2018

***

I saw loads of trailers for Gringo before it was released but I couldn’t find any cinema near me that would show it. It seems the film had been deemed a flop before it even had a chance to prove itself. After finally seeing it I can understand why some views were disappointed but I think there is still plenty to like about it. It doesn’t quite get the mad-cap crime comedy thing right but most of the key characters more than make up for it. In the Chicago offices of Promethium Pharmaceuticals, co-presidents Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton) and Elaine Markinson (Charlize Theron) receive a call from a company employee, Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo), who claims he has been kidnapped in Mexico and that his abductors are demanding a ransom of five million US dollars. One day earlier, Harold, Richard, and Elaine arrive in Mexico where they meet with Sanchez, head of the plant where Promethium products are manufactured. Unbeknownst to Harold, it is revealed that Sanchez has been selling Promethium’s latest product, medical marijuana in the shape of a pill, to a Mexican cartel, and now Promethium has decided to cut them off to avoid harming their upcoming merger. Later that evening, as Richard, Elaine and Harold have dinner, Harold secretly records what Richard and Elaine say about him when he walks away. He learns from the recording the merger plans, which would result in Harold losing his job. That night, he also learns that his wife (Thandie Newton) is having an affair and wants a divorce. Sanchez informs cartel leader Villegas about them getting cut off by Promethium; Villegas is lead to believe that Harold is the boss and orders his men to capture him. Richard and Elaine leave Mexico the next morning without Harold when the latter seemingly disappears. Harold convinces brothers Ronaldo and Ernesto, who run the hotel he is staying in, to pose as his kidnappers in an extortion plan in which he calls Richard pretending to be kidnapped in exchange for a hefty ransom. Richard calls his ex-mercenary brother Mitch (Sharlto Copley) to rescue Harold. Harold spends the evening at a bar, believing his scheme to have failed. The bartender alerts the cartel when he recognizes Harold. Two men arrive and kidnap Harold, but, during the drive to Villegas, Harold overpowers his captors and crashes the car. In the morning, Harold is rescued by tourists Sunny (Amanda Seyfried) and Miles (Harry Treadaway), the latter of whom is in Mexico to serve as a drug mule. The couple take Harold back to a motel where all three happened to have been staying. Soon, Ronaldo and Ernesto, who have been bribed by the cartel into helping them find Harold, attempt to kidnap Harold. However, Mitch shows up and knocks the brothers unconscious and takes Harold with him. Mitch takes Harold to the airport to return him to Promethium, but he runs away. Mitch manages to subdue Harold and inject him with a tracker to know where he is at all times. Mitch makes a deal with Harold to attempt to extort Richard for a larger sum of money for Harold's return. When Mitch calls Richard to make that deal, Richard tells him that the company is planning to collect a life insurance claim on Harold if he were to end up dead, a sum of which Mitch would receive. Mitch reluctantly agrees to take him up on that offer. Harold and Mitch are spotted by Ronaldo and Ernesto as they walk the streets of Mexico. Mitch attempts to kill Harold but cannot bring himself to do it as he has grown fond of him. He is then struck by a car driven by the brothers, who take Harold with them to Villegas. Villegas tells Harold that he wants Harold to access a secure vault at the Promethium plant in order to steal the marijuana pill formula. A shootout occurs when the police arrive. Harold escapes with help from Angel, his Mexican colleague, who reveals himself to be an undercover DEA agent that infiltrated Villegas' gang. They are chased by members of the cartel, who run them off the road. Harold saves Angel from being killed by a cartel member; as Harold is about to be executed by another cartel member, Mitch arrives and saves Harold's life only to be killed himself. Harold asks Angel for help, believing that he has nothing to return to in Chicago. Angel agrees to falsely declare Harold dead and Harold gives him company files incriminating Richard. Villegas and his men are arrested by Mexican federal police. Richard is arrested by the DEA and sentenced to 15 years in prison, and Elaine, who testified against Richard, takes over Promethium. Harold stays in Mexico and opens a beach-side bar called “Harry’s Bar”. The story is convoluted and somewhat messy. Firstly, the sub-plot involving Sunny (Amanda Seyfried) and Miles (Harry Treadaway) is completely pointless. It adds nothing to the overall story and nothing of significance happens when their and Harold’s story meet. The plot involving Harold’s wife (played by Thandie Newton) sleeping with Rusk (Joel Edgerton) is also fairly empty. The role is way beyond Thandie Newton’s abilities and in all honesty it was a waste of her time. Both Seyfried and Newton are wronged in this film, so I hope they both got paid well. Sharlto Copley is also criminally underused but he makes up for a lack of screen time with about as much charisma as an actor can have, although this only makes his lack of screen time all the more frustrating. Edgerton and Theron play the villains rather well but watching Theron trying to seduce Alan Ruck is gringeworthy to the point of deeply unpleasant. Villegas (played by Carlos Corona) is an interesting Cartel character but his obsession with The Beatles isn’t quite as clever as the scriptwriter thinks it is. By far the best thing about Gringo is David Oyelowo as it turns out he is quite capable at subtle and physical comedy. Nash Edgerton (Joel’s brother) directs the action well and clearly has a great eye but his story is just a little overcooked with a couple of ingredients too many. I’m amazed it has taken him this long to film another feature film since his 2008 debut The Square (that followed the brilliant short film Spider). It is a mess for sure but it is fun and I was happily on the ride from start to finish and I think it deserves a little more love than it has so far received.