Gringo movie: Review, Cast and Director

Film: Gringo

Cast: Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Joel Edgerton, Sharlto Copley, Amanda Seyfried, Harry Treadaway, Thandie Newton

Director: Nash Edgerton

Rating:  *  *  *  *

Who is the titular Gringo in this comic thriller deftly directed by Aussie Nash Edgerton? Certainly not the Nigerian-born, US domiciled protagonist Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo, endearing) who is no relation at all to the world-renowned writer Wole. Is it Richard Rusk (the director’s younger bro Joel) the smooth-talking, double-dealer who plots, with his partner-in-business-and-bed, Elaine Markinson (Charlie Theron, terrific) to send Soyinka south of the border on a dubious deal?

Theron’s Markinson is a gringa some feminists might love: she flaunts her sexuality and swears like a sailor. But the title of this film is not gringa; it’s Gringo, the Mexican term for a white man. Enter then, a Mexican cartel headed by a rogue who enjoys quizzing “visitors” about the Beatles whom he adores much in the manner Hitler loved Wagner. If the visitor is ignorant about Beatles songs, he is doomed to long for “yesterday”.

As it turns out, “fool on the hill” Soyinka, takes to fakery like duck to water, pretending to be abducted for a modest ransom even as it becomes clear to all and sundry, that he’s worth more dead than alive. On his trail then are a pair of hoteliers, a DEA investigator and Richard’s brother Mitch (Sharlto Coppley, impressive) who takes a break from social service in the Third World for a piece of the pie. There’s also yet another subplot involving a young couple (Amanda Seyfried and Harry Treadaway) Needless to say, the baddies get their just desserts in this violent caper that shows that greed is certainly not good.