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•Arts & Entertainment'
March 15, 2001
Charm gives ^The Mexican’ potential
Katie Beaver
Reporter
In “The Mexican,” Julia
Roberts and Brad Pitt pair up for
the first time on the silver screen
to deliver an odd, screwball
movie that does not fit comfort
ably in any movie genre. Star
power carries the, which at times
is uncertain of its own direction.
Jerry Welbach, played by
a loveable goofy Pitt, has a defi
nite problem. The bumbling,
hesitant mob member is told to
go to Mexico to retrieve a price
less, infamous pistol called “The
Mexican.” However, his long-
suffering fiance Samantha,
played flawlessly by Roberts,
tells Jerry he must choose be
tween her and Mexico.
Deciding that an angry
fiance is better than certain
death, Jerry ditches Samantha
and goes to Mexico. He later
discovers that his beloved has
been kidnapped to ensure that
Jerry returns to the United States
with the Mexican.
This poses a problem, con
sidering that Jerry no longer has
the pistol in his possession.
While Jerry frantically
combs the countryside for the
gun in his rented El Camino,
Samantha is busy ‘making nice’
with the mobster who is holding
her hostage.
Her captor, played by “The
Sopranos” star James
Gandolfini, is supposedly a
Courtesy of MovieWeb.com
“The Mexican:” Jerry (Brad Pitt) is double-crossed by a car thief
(Richard Coca) who is also after the priceless antique pistol
known as The Mexican
REVIEW
tough guy with a bad reputation.
However, Samantha charms him
with her mega-watt smile and
the two become fast friends dur
ing their time together, sharing
relationship woes and other sto
ries.
Though she has read one
too many self-help books and
gone to one too many group
therapy sessions, Sam is an en
dearing, caring woman who cap
tures the audiences’ hearts. She
endlessly over-analyzes Jerry
and their relationship, but amid
all her psycho-babble lays a
strong, pure heart that belongs
Listings
to her fiance.
Jerry is quite similar to
Samantha, in that he is also
loveable and charming. He en
dures the onslaught of psychiat
ric terms Samantha throws at him
and attempts to make her as
happy as possible. Not one to
over-analyze, he is the down-to-
earth counterpart to Samantha’s
flightiness.
Adding to the main story is
an enjoyable, though perhaps
overdone, movie-inside-a-movie
about the Mexican. The unique
pistol supposedly holds a curse,
and black-and-white scenes
placed throughout the movie un
ravel the mystery behind the elu
sive gun.
Presenting a movie that is
half romantic comedy, half ac
tion-packed thriller, director
Gore Verbinski seems unsure of
which direction to take his big-
name stars. However, the appeal
TV Guide Awards
Erin Cunningham
Reporter
The 3'*^ Annual TV Guide
Awards aired on March 7 on FOX
from the Shrine Expo Center in
Los Angles. It featured many new
categories and honorees that rep
resented a broader range of TV.
The awards show hosted
nine new categories and 240 nomi
nees. Musical Special of the Year,
Music Series of the Year, Sup
porting Actor/Actress of the Year
in a Comedy Series, Supporting
Actor/Actress of the Year in a
Drama Series, Personality of the
Year, Breakout Star of the Year
and Reality Series of the Year are
the new awards up for grabs.
The event was hosted by
late night talk show host Craig
Kilbom, who added his comedic
expertise to the evening.
This year the show began
the decision process by soliciting
the opinions of 115 top executives
and producers from broadcast and
cable networks, studios and pro
duction companies. This expert
panel received open nomination
forms in early November and
helped to tighten competition
within each category by holding
the first round of nominees to a
dozen.
The Comedy Series of the
Year award went to “Everybody
Loves Raymond.” In addition, the
Actor of the Year in a Comedy
Series went to Ray Romano, and
the Supporting Actress of the Year
in a Comedy Series went to Doris
Roberts from “Raymond.”
“West Wing” was awarded
Drama Series of the Year, and
Martin Sheen was presented the
Actor of the Year in a Drama Series
award, for his role as the President.
“Will and Grace” also took
home two awards. Debra Messing
was graced with the Actress of the
Year in a Comedy Series award,
and Sean Hayes received the Sup
porting Actor of the Year in a Com
edy Series award.
The Music Series of the Year
went to VHl’s “Behind the Mu
sic,” which beat out MTV’s “Total
Request Live.”
The Comedy Special of the
Year was awarded to ‘Saturday
Night Live’ for their presidential
bash during the 2000 campaign
Another aspect of the TV
Guide awards was the TV Moment
of the Year award. This honor went
to Jason Sehom’s ‘Tonight Show’
proposal to Angie Harmon, which
beat the Survivor season fmale and
Jennifer Lopez’s daring Golden
Globes ensemble.
of the two mega-watt celebrities
carries the movie through its
chaotic and confusing twists and
turns.
Though the two stars do
not share many scenes, their time
together is well spent and en
joyable. Pitt makes fine use of
his charm and good looks, and
Roberts’ huge smile is always
within seconds of breaking the
surface of her character’s glum
outlook.
Several critics have labeled
the movie as a “star vehicle” and
tossed it aside. However, there is
definite potential amid the chaos
of the movie. Though it is not
deserving of any high honors, it
is an enjoyable blend of romance,
comedy and action that both men
and women will appreciate.
All Time Best Movies
Alsiout Movies
As you'll see sonfe of the,
best movies about movies
aren't so muckvqletines
to the business as they
are poisoh-pen letters.
10. "Swimming v/ith
Sharks"
1994
9. "The Stunt Man"
1980
8. "Hollywood Shuffle"
1987
7, "The Bad and the
Beautiful"
1952
6. -Livmg Oblivion"
1995
5. "A Star is Born"
T954
4. "Ed Wood"
1994
3. 18 1/2"
1. "The Player^
1992
Sunset Boulevard"
1950
Courtesy of Eonline.com