Gringo 2018

In the bustling offices of Promethium, a pharmaceutical company, CEO Richard Rusk finds his intimate moment with co-owner Elaine Markinson unexpectedly interrupted by a desperate phone call. On the other end, his friend and employee Harold Soyinka is in a dire situation, claiming he has been kidnapped in Mexico and that his captors are demanding a staggering ransom of $5 million.

As the story unfolds, we flash back two days earlier to Harold, an unassuming representative for Promethium, living in Chicago with his wife Bonnie. Their financial troubles become apparent when Harold’s accountant alerts him to Bonnie’s extravagant spending habits. Adding to his woes is the news of an impending merger that threatens Harold’s job security. Trusting Richard as a friend, Harold is oblivious to the ulterior motives behind a business trip to Mexico that Richard announces, masking it as a mere corporate merger, while alluding to an unrelated study on gorillas to entice Harold.

Meanwhile, we enter the world of a guitar shop, owned by Sunny and her boyfriend Miles. When Nelly, a friend, informs them of an opportunity to smuggle drugs across the border for $20,000, they jump at the chance, setting off for Mexico.

Upon arrival in Mexico, Harold, Richard, and Elaine reunite with Angel, an old acquaintance, and the company representative Celerino Sanchez. To Harold’s shock, he uncovers that their product—medical marijuana in pill form—is being sold to the Mexican cartel, a decision made to ensure the merger’s success. During a dinner, Harold cunningly records Richard and Elaine discussing him, only to discover that Bonnie is involved with Richard.

In the midst of all this, we see Sunny and Miles navigating the Mexican drug landscape, negotiating with their own connections. The tension escalates when Sanchez informs cartel leader Villegas (Carlos Corona) about Promethium’s withdrawal, leading Villegas to mistakenly identify Harold as the mastermind behind the operation, prompting a violent search for him.

While the chaos unfolds, Harold faces his own downfalls and attempts to weave his way out of trouble, only to find that his friendship with Richard may not be as genuine as he believed. Meanwhile, Richard’s and Elaine’s partnership takes a sharp turn as they try to handle their own responsibilities after Harold’s disappearance.

As the nights unfold in Mexico, Harold’s situation spirals out of control. A series of misadventures leads him to the brink of capture, however, just as he’s about to be taken by the cartel, his estranged brother Mitch arrives to intervene. Unfortunately, Harold finds himself deeper in trouble when Mitch, having his own complicated loyalties to Richard, struggles to fulfill his brotherly duties.

The plot thickens when Mitch’s reluctance to kill Harold rekindles their bond, allowing for unexpected alliances as they face down the cartel. In the climactic showdown, betrayals are unveiled, and amidst a frantic shootout, Harold escapes with the aid of Angel, who has his own secret agenda as an undercover DEA agent.

In the aftermath of the chaos, Harold, believing he has lost everything, decides to fake his own death, allowing him the opportunity to start over. With Richard arrested and the company left in disarray, Harold embarks on a new life. The film concludes with him running a bar on the beach, reminiscing about the past and maintaining a connection to Sunny, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity, and leaving the audience with a sense of hope as he smiles knowingly into the distance.

“Dear Richard - Eat your carrots.”

This phrase lingers, a reminder of the complex web of lies, relationships, and survival that have defined Harold’s journey.