A Good Man's Moral Compass Points South-Of-The-Border In 'Gringo'
Though it traffics in broad stereotypes, several funny performances nearly salvage this satiric tale of a faked kidnapping, greedy executives and dim-bulb criminals.
In the hands of a cynical genius like Billy Wilder or a wily craftsman like Steven Soderbergh, might've become a satire for the ages, a mordant document that people of the future could study to understand this morally vacuous moment in the life of our republic. Alas, this bloody farce was directed by one Nash Edgerton — a stuntman and prolific in the theater down the hall. The elder Edgerton is a competent storyteller: s Byzantine plot mostly scans, and he keeps its sardonic tone consistent throughout. But just because a movie hits all the notes doesn't mean it sings.
