Harold (David Oyelowo) is a nice guy who finishes last. Brow beaten by his girlfriend (Thandie Newton) and pushed around by his best friend/boss Richard (Joel Edgerton). But when he gets wind of a corporate takeover whilst in Mexico he decides to take control of matters with varying levels of success.

Gringo is a crime caper movie that has lots of great actors doing interesting things whilst the preposterousness of the situation allows for action, black comedy and story twists. Unfortunately that story doesn’t completely gel together all of the moving parts and the humour doesn’t always hit home. But that is no fault of a very game cast.

Oyelowo plays the innocent victim very well, especially when frantically pleading for his life. Edgerton (the film is directed by his brother Nash) and Charlize Theron play sleazy pharmaceutical corporates well, with Theron standing out as a woman who uses her sexuality to get what she wants. But it is Sharlto Copley who again steals the show as an ex mercenary called in to save Harold. His larger than life personality really slotting into the manic world of the film.

I’m not sure that the film as a whole will live long in the memory but it will at least be an amiable 111 minutes of your time.