Apprehended by the Mexican authorities, Driver is sent to a hardcore prison where he enters the strange and dangerous world of 'El Pueblito'. Not an easy place for an outsider, unless it's with the help of someone who knows the ropes - a 10-year-old kid.
Problems arise when Driver meets a young boy (aptly named Kid) who exudes street smarts and is suspiciously protected by the prison guards. He also likes to bum cigarettes to feed his own habit and both he and Driver form an unlikely bond. Things get even deeper when Driver meets the Kid’s mom, who he is immediately smitten with, providing his otherwise compromising persona with a reason to care about something more than his own hide and a stack of greenbacks.
The hunt for the money that was in Driver’s possession when he was arrested is one of the main factors driving the plot, but there’s more to it than that as the cat-and-mouse maneuvering gets thicker and more personal as the film wears on. There are a number of confrontations that range from brutal to comical, never letting the film fall too far in one direction; it’s not a dark and gritty violent film, but rather an atmospheric caper with spurts of violence and chock full of colorful characters. In more ways than one it feels more akin to Gibson’s PAYBACK, featuring an uncompromising character (with a one-word name to boot) who is capable of both good and evil facing off with a number of enemies as he outwits them at every turn. In fact, if he were called Porter instead of Driver, GET THE GRINGO could easily be a sequel to PAYBACK.