El Mariachi -- 1992 -- R

This is Robert Rodriguez's revered "$7,000 film" that got him into the Hollywood circles. I actually read quite a bit on this before I watched the film, including Rodriguez's book, Rebel Without a Crew.

The plot is very simple: a mariachi comes to town with his guitar looking for work. In fact, he's willing to work just for tips. Little does he know that a thug has recently escaped from jail, dressed in black like our mariachi and carrying a guitar case full of weapons. This similarity creates a mix-up for the bad guys and they believe that our hero is actually the other bad guy they're looking for. Insert chase scene and a little romance from all parties involved and you've got the film.

This is a film that moves very quickly when it has to, and slows down to get to know the characters at least a little better. No one is fleshed out to an extreme here, but we get a sense of who everyone is, and know the names of all the principals, including what they appear to be capable of. The plot flows very smoothly from point to point, and considering I know what went into making it, it's a rather impressive piece of work.

So in the end, it's not that bad. There are some hiccups here and there (especially the opening "escape" from jail), but it works. It's an action film and plays out like an action film.