Get the Gringo (2012)

Get the Gringo Poster

A career criminal nabbed by Mexican authorities is placed in a tough prison where he learns to survive with the help of a 9-year-old boy.

Film Overview
"Get the Gringo" is a rollicking 2012 American action film directed by Adrian Grunberg and written by Mel Gibson, who also stars in the film. Co-starring Kevin Hernandez and Daniel Giménez Cacho, the story provides a visceral view of Mexican jail life while following a profession bad guy's mission for flexibility and vengeance. The movie integrates elements of criminal activity, drama, and comedy genres in an unconventional and distinctively Mexican setting.

Plot Summary
In "Get the Gringo," Gibson plays an unnamed career wrongdoer, described as 'Driver,' who, with his partner, takes two million dollars from a criminal offense employer. While on the run, they crash into the US-Mexico border wall, where his partner dies, and the Driver is jailed by Mexican authorities, who take the cash and send him to El Pueblito, a notoriously corrupt and harmful jail.

El Pueblito is not a normal jail; it's a raw, dynamic, and disorderly shantytown filled with drugs, violence, and corruption. Here, he befriends a 10-year-old streetwise kid (Kevin Hernandez), who's in prison with his incarcerated mother and is likewise a 'unique' or valued prisoner due to the fact that he shares his liver type with a stopping working mob manager called Javi (Daniel Giménez Cacho).

Magnified Action
Inside the jail, Driver uses his wits and street smarts to browse the treacherous landscape, getting regard from its occupants. He learns more about the special social structure within El Pueblito, where detainees run services, and bribery is the name of the video game. Unfolding events cause a direct confrontation with Javi and his thugs. Equipped with revenge and the sole goal of getting out, Driver tactically instigates a jail riot, manipulating the chaotic situation to his advantage.

Resolution and Outcome
Eventually, Driver manages to link Javi in a crime straight to the embassy, resulting in an investigation that damages Javi's control over the jail. Concurrently, the Driver, with the aid of some allies, seeks to release the kid and his mom and return his stolen money. He certainly manages to do this in the middle of an enormous authorities raid and bloody gunfights, causing an explosive climax in which Javi is killed.

In the end, Driver, who has grown fond of the young boy and his mother, guarantees their security and finally handles to avenge the death of his old partner, obtain his stolen money, and utilize the turmoil to get away from the jail, living up to his name. He is last seen, in disguise, driving off into the sunset with the young boy and his mom as his grateful buddies, hence ending the film on an enthusiastic and satisfying note.

Critical Reception
The film was praised by critics for its well-choreographed action sequences, gritty cinematography, and Mel Gibson's charismatic efficiency, that harkens back to his early action-star days. The gratitude, however, was tempered by criticism relating to the movie's representation of Mexican life and the prison system.

Overall, "Get the Gringo" offered a distinct mix of action, dark humor, and drama, providing an amusing watch. Its representation of an intriguing, squalid jail world was both shocking and engaging, and Gibson's character kept the narrative engaging throughout.

Top Cast

  • Mel Gibson (small)
    Mel Gibson
    Driver
  • Kevin Hernandez (small)
    Kevin Hernandez
    Kid
  • Daniel Giménez Cacho (small)
    Daniel Giménez Cacho
    Javi
  • Peter Stormare (small)
    Peter Stormare
    Frank
  • Jesús Ochoa (small)
    Jesús Ochoa
    Caracas
  • Roberto Sosa (small)
    Roberto Sosa
    Carnal
  • Dolores Heredia (small)
    Dolores Heredia
    Kid's Mother
  • Mario Zaragoza (small)
    Mario Zaragoza
    Vasquez
  • Peter Gerety (small)
    Peter Gerety
    Embassy Guy
  • Bob Gunton (small)
    Bob Gunton
    Mr. Kaufmann
  • Gerardo Taracena (small)
    Gerardo Taracena
    Romero