Get the Gringo (2012)

** ½ out of ****

Mel Gibson has had an incredibly interesting film career. Notwithstanding his admittedly weird behavior outside the movies, he has gone from a lengthy start in “art-house” type films to becoming an enormous action movie star, to a reliable comedic actor to a bona-fide directing and producing monster. He's even co-written a few worthwhile films, but “Get The Gringo” is the first he has written completely on his own.

Gibson is a bit of a “man with no name” in the film – though he gives several names we have no idea what is real name is. He and a partner are, at the start of the movie, in full dress as clowns and have robbed someplace of $2 million. They crash through a border wall into Mexico but are immediately apprehended. But when the Mexican cops find the money, Gibson goes straight to prison, the partner to a shallow grave (having already been badly wounded) and the money vanishes with the cops.

The Mexican prison Gibson goes to is a pretty unique one – other than the fact the inmates can't leave it's barely a prison at all. There are wives and kids, an entire outdoor criminal marketplace and a booming economy. Gibson uses his skills as a thief to be able to provide himself with the necessities, but he becomes familiar with the “Boss”, Javi, who keeps a 9 year old kid around because he has a failing liver and the kid is a suitable donor. The kid knows he's just marking time until Javi kills him for his liver.

To make a long story short, Gibson sets about a multi-tiered plan to escape, get his money back, get revenge on those that have wronged him and to save the kid. It's not terribly believable, but it is fun to watch and Gibson makes full use of his comedic timing in many situations. Overall it is nothing momentous but surely an excellent time killer.