Review No.72: How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Our world tour now takes us to Mexico where we meet Mel Gibson wearing a clown mask being chased by the police after having stolen millions of dollars from Peter Stomare's crime lord Frank. The film is How I Spent My Summer vacation which has received a cinema release here despite going straight to TV in the states under the title Get the Gringo. This is yet in a long line of films to be heralded as Gibson's return to form, the same was set about last year's The Beaver, but at least this time it's the Lethal Weapon star going back to what he does best. The film itself mainly concerns a Mexican prison in which rules are much more lapsed than in regular penitentiaries it includes various shops and a casino. Gibson's character, simply known as Driver, makes friends with a 10 year old kid whose father has been finished off by the prison's top dog and he is only being kept alive due to the fact he shares the same blood with the kingpin who needs a liver transplant. Driver forms a bond with both the child and his mother however after his reasons for being in the prison are investigated he is sought out by both the criminals and dodgy cops. Due to Driver being a quick talker he is able to get his release from the prison in order to try and get the money to those still locked up however as we the audience know this is just a ruse as he wants to try and save the kid.

So is this Gibson's return to form? In a way it is as he seems comfortable in his narration of the script, which he co-wrote, as well in the standard action sequences towards the film's end. At the same time though I can't get away from the fact that this is the man who has said so many stupid things over the past few years that not even a film as fun as How I Spent My Summer Vacation can save him. The film is fun and it's one that I could imagine George Clooney starring in years ago as for the most part the plot is slick if not a little clichéd. I enjoyed the fact that this was confined to a prison, albeit one in which there seem to be no rules, as there was no escape for Driver from those who were after him. I have to say it's not a good advert for the Mexican prison system but it did remind me of Prison Break series three without the bird book nonsense that is. This is really Gibson's film however young Kevin Hernandez does a good job as Driver's ward while cameos from Bob Gunton and Peter Stomare keep things ticking along nicely. On the other hand there are a fair few moments of pure disbelief such a someone buying Gibson's impression of Clint Eastwood while in addition I didn't believe the romantic angle between Kid's mum and Driver. I can't say I didn't enjoy How I Spent My Summer Vacation but try as it might it just can't escape the fact that its leading man is now essentially Hollywood poison.

Verdict: An enjoyable crime caper with a few laughs along the way however the fact that the leading man is such a notorious trouble-maker means I can only give it 6.5/10