Literally the single reason to watch this film is the legendary Robert Duvall. The rest of the movie is basically a mess. Although in another sense its a pointless mess. It feels like it has no direction, it is excruciatingly slow and just seems as though it were slapped together without any thought process behind the script. It is a complete mess and that's really the best way to put it. If this film did well, even in the artistic sector with critics, I'd be surprised. There isn't any particularly stunning cinematography or morality hidden in the script and it just isn't worth a lot of time. The film starts out with a lot of promise and seemed like it might be a unique drama-thriller with a hint of coming of age story for both a young man and an old man nearing his last days. But there isn't enough story or development to keep this interesting enough for two hours. The entire side-story of Red (Duvall) and his Grandson crossing some sort of Mexican gangsters feels forced and almost unnecessary though it does give the only moments of fast paced action certainly. There was one particular gun fight in a cemetery that I thought actually was quite well done.
Robert Duvall proves in this film why he is a legend. The movie is sub-par at best, a mess as I've said, and yet Duvall is truly excellent in this movie. He's chaotic, desperately struggling to hold onto his youth and his dignity. Sometimes you heart breaks for him and sometimes you cheer for him and the best thing of all is when he "gets the girl" you actually believe it and root for him for it instead of rolling your eyes at the idea of a hot young woman ending up with a grizzly old man. There is some sense behind it. Jeremy Irvine is okay as Duvall's estranged Grandson. Its such an important role and the chemistry between he and Duvall is okay at best. If they had given the role to someone with more experience or charisma it would have made a big difference. Certainly Irvine does well playing the naive young man trying to become a cowboy but there just is something that doesn't meld right there. Angie Cepeda is also decent as the stripper they end up befriending. Cepeda and Duvall have very good chemistry and she is fiery and strong willed and she plays a good solid role given the terrible script. Luis Tosar and Joaquín Cosio are okay as our villains but as I mentioned that storyline is almost unnecessary and makes you confused as to what kind of film they were trying to make.
A Night In Old Mexico doesn't know what its trying to be. Is it a Western? Certainly not though it has some elements. Is it a drama? A Dark Gritty action film? A revenge flick? It is literally all over the place and yet none of the genres it tries to be comes across as successful. Director Emilio Aragón is apparently a well respected Spanish Artist but it looks like this is his first foray into North American films and I'm not sure he quite has a grasp on what it takes to make a feature film. He has done a lot of Television and a lot of "shorts" and I think part of the issue is that A Night In Old Mexico felt like it should have been a short film instead of desperately trying to drag it out over the course of two hours. So if you're a monster Robert Duvall fan than you'll likely be able to enjoy his redemptive performance but the rest of the movie is painfully slow and far from entertaining. 5/10
Robert Duvall proves in this film why he is a legend. The movie is sub-par at best, a mess as I've said, and yet Duvall is truly excellent in this movie. He's chaotic, desperately struggling to hold onto his youth and his dignity. Sometimes you heart breaks for him and sometimes you cheer for him and the best thing of all is when he "gets the girl" you actually believe it and root for him for it instead of rolling your eyes at the idea of a hot young woman ending up with a grizzly old man. There is some sense behind it. Jeremy Irvine is okay as Duvall's estranged Grandson. Its such an important role and the chemistry between he and Duvall is okay at best. If they had given the role to someone with more experience or charisma it would have made a big difference. Certainly Irvine does well playing the naive young man trying to become a cowboy but there just is something that doesn't meld right there. Angie Cepeda is also decent as the stripper they end up befriending. Cepeda and Duvall have very good chemistry and she is fiery and strong willed and she plays a good solid role given the terrible script. Luis Tosar and Joaquín Cosio are okay as our villains but as I mentioned that storyline is almost unnecessary and makes you confused as to what kind of film they were trying to make.
A Night In Old Mexico doesn't know what its trying to be. Is it a Western? Certainly not though it has some elements. Is it a drama? A Dark Gritty action film? A revenge flick? It is literally all over the place and yet none of the genres it tries to be comes across as successful. Director Emilio Aragón is apparently a well respected Spanish Artist but it looks like this is his first foray into North American films and I'm not sure he quite has a grasp on what it takes to make a feature film. He has done a lot of Television and a lot of "shorts" and I think part of the issue is that A Night In Old Mexico felt like it should have been a short film instead of desperately trying to drag it out over the course of two hours. So if you're a monster Robert Duvall fan than you'll likely be able to enjoy his redemptive performance but the rest of the movie is painfully slow and far from entertaining. 5/10