Gringo (2018)

Gringo (2018)

6/10

Starring

David Oyelowo

Charlize Theron

Joel Edgerton

Amanda Seyfried

Thandie Newton

Directed by Nash Edgerton

Gringo is one movie that does not have the necessary ratings for many to go see it. This dark comedy will go under the radar of many, but I can safely say it should not go under yours.

The movie is a dark comedy with some overly silly characters and overly wicked ones. The movie’s idea of a blackmail gone wrong is extremely interesting to watch. It’s ending is just simple, with not too much complexity and for me this is how movies should always end, simple – no need for the guy to get the girl or anything like that.

What is Gringo about?

First the movie has many metaphors about animals that can be really annoying, which was the idea as our lead Harold/Harry (David Oyelowo) seems to always be at the end of one, until he too got pissed of it.

Harry is the regular guy, who does his work and does the right thing, but gets run over, this whole movie is how Harry managed to survive all this.

Harry works in a company which makes medical marijuana, but the company have devised a way to turn medical marijuana it into pills, and still give the same effect. This idea of turning it into pills has made the company rich and ripe for takeover by bigger pharmaceutical companies.

Now, many shady things are happening in the company especially at its factory located in Mexico, which Harry the operations guy oversees. A big company has shown interest in merging with Harry’s and the owners (Harry’s Boss) Richard (Joel Edgerton) and Elaine (Charlize Theron) decided to go to Mexico and straighten out somethings.

Harry is a friend of Richard, and Richard hired him because he needed someone who would not ask many questions and will look the other way while many funny things went down. Harry was the man for the job, as he looked wherever Richard pointed and never asked any questions. Until he found out about the merger through his accountant who was also warning him also about his pending financial problems at home. Harry’s wife was draining the roof out of Harry’s account and he is now in debt.

Harry shocked by both news, decided to face up with Richard and ask about a merger rumor and what will happen to him in this merger. Richard lied to him about any merger while he continued the merger plans.

When in Mexico where Richard and Elaine wanted to clean up the shady things in the factory, Harry found out that the merger was true, but then also found out that his wife was leaving him. Now unhappy and not knowing what to do, Harry decided to kidnap himself and ask his company to pay a ransom.

That idea was not a good one, as unknown to Harry the people that his company was dealing with illegally in Mexico, are aware that he runs operations in the company and since Richard and Elaine wants to cut ties with them, they have sent men to kidnap Harry.

Now Harry has kidnapped himself, some men are trying to kidnap him and his company has decided not to pay the ransom he asked when he kidnapped himself. Instead Richard hired a mercenary to go see if he can save Harry or maybe just kill him.

You must see this movie as many things keep happening that will make you wonder how everything will make sense in the end, but somehow the writers managed to tie up all the loose ends (well not all).

David Oyelowo’s acting was great and so was that of Charlize Theron.