"Get the Gringo" (also known as "How I Spent My Summer Vacation") is an action film directed by Adrian Grunberg, produced, co-written by and starring Mel Gibson. The film has received largely positive reviews, gaining an 80% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Aside from Gibson, also in the movie are Kevin Hernandez, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Dolores Heredia, Peter Stormare, Dean Norris, Bob Gunton, Peter Gerety, Scott Cohen, Aaron Cohen, Patrick Bauchau, Mayra Serbulo, Stephanie Lemelin, Tom Schanley, Tenoch Huerta, Roberto Sosa and Jesús Ochoa.

Synopsis:

ACADEMY AWARD Winner Mel Gibson steals the show – and anything else he can get his hands on – in this explosive, nonstop thrill ride packed with equal parts action and attitude! A career criminal (Gibson) pulls off the heist of a lifetime, but his getaway plans go south of the border when a high-speed car chase lands him in a hard-core Mexican prison community known as “El Pueblito.” Now, in order to survive, he’ll have to fend off corrupt cops, take down ruthless druglords…and team up with a streetwise ten-year-old who has a few secrets of his own!

Production:

In a role that he scripted for himself, Mel Gibson is back to his wise-cracking, gun-toting best, proving that he’s hard to top when it comes to playing the anti-hero with attitude and charisma to burn. The actor, whose once immense screen appeal has been sadly derided of late, headlines Get The Gringo, a ballsy comedic thriller, which has its roots in seventies-style actioners, but kicks with a wonderfully twisted vibe all of its own. The film is directed by Adrian Grunberg, who worked as a first assistant director with Gibson on Apocalypto. The film was produced by Gibson, Bruce Davey and Stacy Perskie. Executive Producers included Mark Gooder, Vicki Christianson, Ann Ruark, Len Blavatnik. Filming began in March 2010 in San Diego, Brownsville, Texas, and Veracruz, Mexico. Most of the filming took place at the Ignacio Allende Prison. Benoît Debie was the cinematographer on the film.

The film’s rollicking and slightly surreal tone is set with the terrific opening scene, which sees two fugitives decked out as clowns and madly flooring it across American soil toward Mexico, with a case of cash on the back seat. The clown behind the wheel is Driver (Gibson), and in a moment of desperation, he crashes through a metal fence along the border, which sees him wind up in El Pueblito, Mexico’s most notorious clinker. Based on a former, real Mexican prison, it’s a crazy, hellish place where drugs and firearms pass hands freely, and criminals run the joint. Armed with only his quick wit and instincts, Driver sparks up a relationship with a gutsy young boy (Kevin Hernandez) who shows him the ropes. Driver soon learns, however, that the kid’s lugging around a heartbreaking secret.

Debut director Adrian Grunberg reveals real flair behind the camera, reining the action in just as it threatens to bust at the seams. This is over-the-top entertainment – the violence is grisly, the emotion’s often cheesy – but it’s also packed with wit, grit and imagination. The performances are top-notch across the board, with the feisty young Hernandez bringing real soul to the piece, and his chemistry with Gibson is gold. With its foot literally on the accelerator from the opening scene, Get The Gringo never lets up. It’s a cracking fun ride from start to finish.

The film’s theatrical release began in Israel in March of 2012 before reaching 22 other countries over the next six months In the UK, the film was released under its original title of “How I Spent My Summer Vacation.” As of the July, the film had taken in $4.5 million at the box office. The film’s US premiere coincided with a ten-city, same-day tour with Mel Gibson appearing at Austin’s Alamo Drafthouse Cinema with co-star Kevin Hernandez and director Adrian Grunberg on April 18, 2012. The other nine cities screened the film and received a satellite feed of the Q&A. The film did not have a regular US theatrical release instead appearing on video on demand (VOD). At the event, Gibson said of the VOD release, “We’re just in a different era. Many people just like to see things in their homes….I think it’s the future.” The film was first publicly released exclusively through video-on-demand services in the United States. In Icon’s deal with Fox, Get the Gringo did have an exclusive preview window on DirecTV May 1st before it was released on other VOD services a month later. Get The Gringo is now available on DVD & VCD for the suggested retail price of Php750.00 and Php250.00, respectively, locally distributed by C-Interactive Digital Entertainment.

Watch the trailer here:

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