Parents' Guide to

Gringo

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Strong language, drug content in over-the-top action-comedy.

Movie R 2018 110 minutes
Gringo Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

In GRINGO, Nigerian-born Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) works for his friend Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton) at a Chicago pharmaceutical company. Harold isn't quite on par with the flashy, cocky Richard -- or Richard's sexy, vulgar partner, Elaine Markinson (Charlize Theron). But the three travel together to Mexico to end an off-the-books deal. Harold didn't know about the deal, but when the Mexican drug cartels get wind of it, they start to hunt him down. Also in Mexico, he learns that his wife (Thandiwe Newton) is having an affair. He runs away to a cheap Mexican hotel, where he bumps into Miles (Harry Treadaway) and his naïve girlfriend, Sunny (Amanda Seyfried), as well as a mercenary named Mitch (Sharlto Copley), who's actually Richard's brother. Harold also pretends to be kidnapped. Soon it becomes clear that Harold is worth more dead than alive, and he must decide who to trust and try to escape before that bounty is collected.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2 ):

This twisty action-comedy from Australian brothers Nash (who directed) and Joel Edgerton is colorful and high-energy for a long time, but its humor flags early, and the action finally gets tiring. The Edgertons are part of a collective called Blue-Tongue Films that usually deals in small, gritty crime dramas (Animal Kingdom, Wish You Were Here, etc.). Gringo is their first big, all-star movie (aside from David Michod's War Machine), and it seems a little outsized, a little overeager-to-please. It's as if the energy were ramped up very high in an effort to juggle all the balls in the air; but after a long 110 minutes, a break is needed.

That's not to say the movie is bad. In fact, while the storyline is very complex, it's quite clever and easy to follow, with endless new wrinkles, not unlike Logan Lucky. The characters are a good cross-section of types, and most of them get at least one hilarious moment, from the Mexican gangster who likes to quiz his visitors on The Beatles to Theron's snide, potty-mouth declarations and Oyelowo's Lou Costello-like reactions to his dire situation. It could have been shorter, or benefited from a little breathing room, but on the whole, Gringo is inconsequential fun.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Gringo's use of violence. Does it seem more intended to be shocking or exciting? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • How does the movie handle sexual content? Is the sex here based on trust, or is it based on power? What's the difference?

  • How are drugs involved in the plot? How often are drugs used? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

  • Is Harold heroic? Is he likable? Why do you think he has to commit acts of violence before he finds his strength and his freedom?

Movie Details

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