The Mexican

Take "All About Steve" (cute dysfunctional romcom), toss in "3 Days in the Valley" (gritty crime drama), a little bit of "Silver Streak" (roadcom) and a hint of "Deathtrap" or possibly "Fargo" (dark comedy), then whip them all mercilessly with an eggbeater until it's unrecognizable, bake at 425 degrees for 2 hrs 3 mins, and there you have "The Mexican".

If you enjoyed all the films I mentioned above, you'll like this. It's polished, as any Hollywood flick with Brad Pitt & Julia Roberts would be, but it's quirky and odd enough to set itself apart from the others. The story is about a lovable loser (Brad Pitt) and his crazy therapy-inducing girlfriend (Julia Roberts) who end up trapped in a bloody battle to get a cursed gun known as "The Mexican". The plot has plenty of twists & turns to keep you entertained on the surface. But the real story is about unlikely relationships: not just Brad & Julia's bipolar romance but also unlikely friendships & loyalties that spring up between kidnappers & kidnappees, assassins & victims, American profiteers & Mexican defenders... like a good Clint Eastwood movie ("The Unforgiven", "Gran Turino"), the point is that it's easy to apply labels, but how often do you get a good look at what's underneath?

I mentioned that this is a dark comedy, and indeed there are about half a dozen killings. What makes it different from, say Pulp Fiction or Heathers, is that the film doesn't gloss over the deaths with comedic gags. That's where this film is unusual... It has a place for comedy, and it has a place for tragedy. It doesn't really mix the two. Thus you may find your emotions wrenched around a bit, and that may be disorienting to some viewers. But if you're ready for a wild ride (exactly what this movie claims to be), you'll love it. And it has a cool dog in it too.

Other good movies in the same genre include "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie), the hilarious "My Cousin Vinny" (Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei) and the classic "Foul Play" (Chevy Chase & Goldie Hawn).