Gringo

Cartels are still trending high with movie and TV producers at the moment and we’ve seen some great gangster shows and films based on them. They provide the backdrop to what’s sure to be one of the sleeper-hit, cult favourites of the year: Gringo.

The focus here is actually on the management of a pharmaceutical company using a Mexican lab to produce medical marijuana tablets; anticipating them being made legal in the US. Hapless everyman Harold and greasy managers Richard and the fierce Elaine travel to Mexico to oversee proceedings and all hell breaks loose.

It’s a Tarantino-lite, portmanteau crime caper too little seen these days; a young couple and Richard’s mercenary-for-hire brother crash into the proceedings as the crazy events unfold over the course of a few days.

Any more plot detail would ruin what is a surprising, if fairly convenient, rollercoaster ride of events which lend themselves kindly to a Pulp Fiction comparison. The headline cast are on fine form; Joel Edgerton (his brother Nash directs for the first time) gets to play against type as the sleazy boss but Charlize Theron and David Oyelowo are the MVP’s here; Theron manages to bring pathos to a scenery-chewing performance with some killer lines but the heart of the film belongs to Oyelowo’s Harold; blundering through proceedings with charm and a high-pitched shriek for the ages.

The pop culture-laden script is a cracker managing to deliver some dark laughs amongst the mayhem and using its Tarantino-aping moments wisely: a cartel leader with a violent liking of The Beatles and a poignant discussion of a Bible parable being two choice scenes.

Sure there’s a few convenient happenstances and it doesn’t quite have the visual flair to elevate this to the elite in the genre but it’s a fresh and fun tale that keeps you gripped. The pace dips a little when spending time with the less-developed characters in the story and they could perhaps have been fleshed out a little more (Amanda Seyfried and Thandie Newton get precious little to do) but the plot propellers and the action beats hit nicely. The best Tarantino homage in recent times.

Also, without trying to shamelessly plug, a mention to Amazon Studios who handle the distribution here. For such a giant conglomerate their taste thus far on picking projects is to be lauded with Café Society, Manchester By The Sea, The Lost City Of Z, The Big Sick and The Handmaiden some recent classics on their books and all available to stream on their Prime Video service.

Lastly, and sorry Gringo, but the best Beatles album is totally Abbey Road…

4 stars ****