Superstars team up for new movie

Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts' 'Mexican' vacation

Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt co-star in "The Mexican," which Pitt admiringly describes as "a loose, low-budget, down-and-dirty, hand-held film"

In this story: Gun for hire Mexican nights RELATED STORIES, SITES

From Sherri Sylvester
CNN Showbiz Correspondent

(CNN) -- There is no question that Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts are two of Hollywood's biggest stars. Between their Oscar nominations and their box office clout, they could probably name their project -- and their price.

Then what are they doing in a shaggy-dog crime caper comedy budgeted at a relatively measly $8 million, directed by a former TV commercial director doing just his second film, with one location only reachable by a 1.5-mile tunnel?

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Because it's a shaggy-dog, low-budget crime caper, said Pitt. He liked what director Gore Verbinski -- best known for the Budweiser frogs and the film "Mouse Hunt" -- wanted to do, and he signed on.

Verbinski wanted "a loose, low-budget, down-and-dirty, hand-held film without any control," Pitt said. "He was totally into the spirit of that and led the way."

Gun for hire

"The Mexican" stars Pitt as Jerry Welbach, a low-rank mob operative who's trying to go straight. He finds himself with two ultimatums: one from his boss, who wants him to obtain a rare pistol called "the Mexican" or suffer life-ending consequences; and one from his girlfriend Samantha (Roberts), who wants Jerry to leave the mob and commit to her.

Pitt encouraged discussion about the relationship between the characters. "I'm not a big backstory gal, and he kept asking me what do you think about this, what do you think is the answer to this?" Roberts said

Deciding he'd rather face Samantha's wrath than his boss', Jerry heads to Mexico to get the gun. Meanwhile, Samantha -- who's washed her hands of her former boyfriend -- is taken hostage by a hit man who's also looking for the pistol.

Oh, and one other thing: the gun is supposed to carry a curse.

Roberts and Pitt have very different acting styles, but for "The Mexican," Roberts was willing to take some pointers -- at least in regards to creating a history for the couple.

"I'm not a big backstory girl," she said. "But he kept asking, 'What do you think of this? What do you think is the answer to this?' ... almost to the point of harassment. I really had to think about it (and) ... it evolved into something quite interesting."

Mexican nights

"The Mexican" was a heck of a lot of fun to make, she added. An exhausting type of fun, but fun nonetheless.

"I loved it," she said. "I didn't even sleep on this movie. I mean, it wasn't even about sleeping. It was about trying to do about 75 days' work in about 55 days."

Doesn't sound like fun? Listen to Pitt.

"We were in this place, Real de Catorce, at the top of this mountain range in an old defunct mining town out of time, and a really romantic place," he said. "People were great. (They'd) let us into their homes and we just set up camp ... and began shooting." And the sunsets and moonrises were startlingly beautiful, added Roberts.

When shooting was over for the day, the cast and crew sat around and played music. "We came up with many songs. So many, in fact, that we're starting a band (and) hitting the road," he joked. "There will be a VH-1 'Behind the Music' very soon."

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'The Mexican' official site

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