La rançon

Gringo (2018) is a black comedy with half a dozen tightly intertwined subplots, in which nearly everybody is out to deceive, betray, and/or cheat everybody else. The two innocents in this coterie of scoundrels are Harold (David Oyelowo, O.B.E.) and Sunny (Amanda Seyfried). Harold might more aptly be yclept Matt, as he allows everybody walk all over him, secure in the conviction that good will prevail and the just will be rewarded - although these convictions will be severely tested. All of the plots revolve about Richard (Joel Edgerton), a self-centered narcissist with a seriously defective moral compass, and his designs to cheat everybody, or their designs to reciprocate.

None of the characters is particularly likeable, although many are the type of intriguing villains one loves to hate. Unfortunately, this also applies to Harold and Sunny. While we sympathize with Harold, we never really like him or even root for his success. This isn't the fault of Oyelowo, who plays the character with conviction. But Harold is a total doofus, while the other characters are so much more interesting to watch.

Production values are more than adequate, with a refreshing lack of distracting jiggly-cam shots. Performances by Sharlto Copley, Charlize Theron and Thandie Newton also deserve praise. Excellent script by Anthony Tambakis and Matthew Stone.

This movie is definitely better than the 6.0 rating here.

Let's start by saying that this is a dark comedy. Reading some of the worse reviews I get a sense that maybe they have missed this. The movie is thoroughly enjoyable, not one single weak actor in the cast and all performing well. Hat's off to Charlize Theoron, she is already one of my favourite actresses and has further cemented my opinion of her here.

Watch Harold, a victim of circumstance, muddle his was through his seemingly disaster filled life, all whilst trying to do the right thing, while others want to take advantage. Highly recommend this movie

Dark-Comedies are an acquired taste, but once you develop it you have the ability to appreciate more satirical comedy. David Oyelowo attempts to bring this genre to life this weekend in the movie Gringo, a film that has some bite I didn't expect from a movie this early in the year. But what zany adventures will unfold when a black man is stuck between the high stakes world of pharmaceutical development and the cartels? Well that is what this film attempts to answer, and it is my job to give you the 411 on the latest movies to storm the screen. Let's go!

LIKES:

-David Oyelowo Acting -Morale dilemma -Funny at times -Fast-Paced

Gringo is a movie that likes to go over the top, with characters that are all about going to one extreme or the other. However David Oyelowo is the character that has a little more dynamic than the other. Oyelowo is fun to watch, for me being the funniest character with his loud, rambunctious delivery of lines that are loaded with high-pitched panicking screams. Yet he is able to turn that energy around, and focus it to give a character that is worth looking into as he tries to navigate the hostile world he wound up in. Like his character Harold, Oyelowo keeps things very relatable and invests his time to making a good adventure. But what is an adventure without a little ethics debate to come into the light. Gringo does this just right as the conversation of doing the right thing vs. the selfish thing constantly rears its ugly head in the cartel wastelands that this film takes place in. Harold's journey not only tests his own morals, but inspires others to address their own life choices, from settling on abusive boyfriends to what one will do to get money to accomplish their personal goals. It fits okay into the movie, but there are some hard hitting dialogue moments to help reassure that the best stuff doesn't mean the best life. As stated earlier, dark comedies are a little dryer than other, more modern comedies so you have to be ready for more delivery and timing to do the lifting. Gringo has some legit comedic moments, really taking an awkward situation and turning it into a tear inducing riot of laughs. These moments often have a nice, clever zing to them, that Oyelowo maximizes using his natural accent and mannerisms. And all of these components are able to be placed in a decently paced run time that minimizes the slow and maximizes the thrills.

DISLIKES:

-Curse heavy dialogue -Not as funny as I had hoped -Much ruined by trailers -A little chaotic at the end

You've read my reviews, but you know that lazy writing that relies of cursing doesn't get my stamp of approval. Gringo has extreme characters that don't use the most advanced language, relying once more on F-bombs and sleazy pick up lines to do the talking. While pertinent to the story, for once, and sometimes entertaining, Gringo utilized these tactics too much for my tastes. Even the yelling of Oyelowo got old, with many of his pleas soon running dry like the desert he ran through. As such, this movie didn't really have the comedic punch I wanted, but more a thrill seeking, dark adventure with a little comedic buff thrown in. Perhaps this is also due to the fact that a lot of the funny parts had been advertised to death in the trailers, resulting in the overplayed scene being boring by show time. And once the last scene started to end and all the stories came together, things sort of wrapped up in a chaotic package that wasn't in time with the movie. Not the worst mind you, but not what I quite expected from the trailers.

The VERDICT:

Gringo is okay, and designed for a select audience that wants the darker things in life to be ridiculed. This film is a legitimate mixture of drama, crime, adventure and comedy, taking these aspects and twisting it into a semi-entertaining story with some moral obligations to address. While I enjoyed Oyelowo and the well-timed zingers, I still can't say this was the best, most unique comedy to hit the screen. The extreme characters, mundane dialog, and chaotic organization (ruined by the trailers), didn't deliver the expected feel I got from the advertising and as such left more to be desired. So I recommend skipping this one and hitting something else in the month of March.

My scores are:

Action/Comedy/Crime: 7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0

I don't know how you could get more out of an action comedy. The story was GREAT. The acting was GREAT. If you like a fast-pasted Guy-Ritchie-type of film-dialing the action scenes back a notch and the acting and script up a notch-then watch. All I have to say, no spoilers needed.