The Mexican is going to take a lot of flack from film critics who accuse Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt of playing themselves. But really, what is wrong with that? They are two of Hollywood's biggest stars for good reason. Both are beautiful, likable and very watchable. If it's acting you want, look no further than James Gandolfini, who steals the film as the sensitive yet brutal hit man, Leroy. Finally, unlike many recent releases, The Mexican has a coherent and amusing plot, which centers on the titular antique pistol.

Jerry is a well-meaning yet inept bagman for the mob, repaying his debt to Arnold Margolese, who now heads his criminal organization from jail, thanks to an accident involving both men. As long as he is in jail, Jerry must do errands for Margolese's lieutenant, Nayman. This arrangement has not gone smoothly, since Jerry screws up almost every job, occasionally due to the interference of his frustrated girlfriend, Samantha.

Samantha has stood by Jerry through his five year "penance", postponing her dream of moving to Las Vegas to become a croupier. To cope with her frustration, she's dragged him to couples therapy, where Sam has learned a whole new vocabulary of psychobabble to vent her rage. When she learns that Jerry's last assignment from the mob was not actually his last assignment, the relationship is over.

Jerry's last assignment is retrieving an antique pistol called "The Mexican" from Margolese's grandson, who is living it up in Mexico. Margolese is the most recent owner of the priceless weapon, rumored to carry a curse. Once Jerry finds the Mexican, his bad luck turns even worse, and his mission becomes more complicated. When Jerry does not return on time, Nayman sends a hit man to kidnap Sam. Jerry will get the girl when he hands over the gun.

As entertaining as Jerry's predicament is, the real emotion lies in the relationship that develops between Samantha and Leroy the hit man. Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini have a real chemistry onscreen. Her girlish humor is balanced by his deadpan stoicism. Roberts expresses emotion with her hundred-watt grin -- Gandolfini has only to narrow his eyes to signal a personality shift. As they pass the time together, Sam and Leroy air their relationship problems and hidden insecurities to one another and begin to relax. As it turns out, his hit man logic is a perfect counterweight to her new-age self-help mentality.

Hidden in their scenes is one of the big surprises of the film, which is one of many twists and turns the story takes to its destination. The only real bump in the rhythm of The Mexican occurs when one of the significant storylines ends abruptly. It feels as if the film should conclude shortly afterward, but it continues albeit with a little less weight. Final verdict, The Mexican is an enjoyable ride for fans of Brad and Julia, and it will most likely create many new fans of James Gandolfini.