EL MARIACHI GRINGO is a little film with a quiet but sincere message. It is obviously a low budget film based on a screenplay by Cory Krueckenberg and directed sympathetically by Tom Gustafson, both men rather new to these two role assignments. The reason the film works is the sense of honesty about it.

The film opens in Kansas were life is rather boring, especially for a 30-year-old young man Edward (Shawn Ashmore), on some medication for what seems to be a form of mental illness, who still lives with his parents (Kate Burton and Tom Wopat) and has not found a direction for his life. He has studied music, plays the guitar occasionally, and one day he wanders into a town Mexican restaurant called El Mariachi where he is befriended by Rosario (Yareli Arizmendi) and Alberto (Fernando Becerril) who plays guitar and sings to the customers. Alberto shares his basement model of the city of Guadalajara where he recalls singing with the Mariachis in Mariachi Square who simply make a living singing for the people to help them celebrate their lives. Edward absorbs the dream of playing music for the people, takes lessons in Mariachi from Alberto, settles with his disapproving parents, and is off to Mexico. At first out of place in Guadalajara he soon meets Lilia (the very beautiful and talented Martha Higareda) working in her mother Magdalena's (Adriana Barraza) café. With Lilia (who had studied in Santa Cruz, CA and longs to go back to her dream) and Mariachi singer Sophia (Lila Downs) he is introduced to the field of real Mariachi singing, becomes accepted as the Gringo Mariachi, wins some fame, but after a brief trip back to Kansas for an unexpected funeral, Edward returns to Guadlajara to find things have changed - but he still has followed his dream and is quietly happy.

There are significant subplots that aren't well explored, but the film does not try to be anything it isn't - it is just about following your dreams no matter the obstacles or consequences or surprises. The cast is competent, the music is a highlight, and the take away feeling is one of tenderness and caring.

Grady Harp

An American boy feels his life is empty, when he meets a Mexican guy that shows him the love for life, for the small things of it and inculcated his love for Mexican music, food and country. Leading him to a journey across the boarder where he learns to love by himself all those little things that his old friend had showed him. He will meet people across the border that might share his dreams for a meaningful life. The movie comes out from the conventional by showing a real Mexico, showing the culture as it is, dignifying to the Mexican people. Shows the relationships and the journey to self discovery, all these involved in a romantic atmosphere. You can expect the unexpected and leave with a good feeling. Amazing music and photography.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It's a movie about finding your dream; about stepping outside the box, and not being afraid to try something new and different. The movie is about Edward, a young man who wants to be a mariachi. In his quest, we are shown the beautiful traditional culture that makes up Mexico. As a teacher, I endeavor to expose my students to Mexican culture by singing "Las Mañanitas" to them, explaining how mariachis are hired to sing the traditional birthday song to a loved one. How they typically come in the morning and sing outside her window. In this movie, my students will get to see this. I explain to them about the Mariachi culture, and this movie shows this. I teach them about "El día de los muertos" and this movie has beautiful scenes on this. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Watching this movie, you will see the many wonderful Mexican traditions as Edward goes about finding himself. And if that isn't enough, we are treated to Lila Down's beautiful voice, and beautiful Mariachi music. They tried to pack a lot in to this movie, and that might be the reason for its lack of transition, but in my estimation it makes up for it in heart.