The Way of the Gun

The Way of the Gun is a 2000 American neo-Western heist action thriller film directed and written by Christopher McQuarrie in his directorial debut. It is about two low-level criminals who kidnap a woman pregnant with the child of a mafia money launderer, only to find themselves facing a more complex and dangerous situation than they first realized. It stars Ryan Phillippe and Benicio del Toro as the petty criminals and Juliette Lewis as the pregnant woman. Taye Diggs, Nicky Katt, Scott Wilson, and James Caan play supporting roles. The film was released on September 8, 2000, and was a commercial disappointment, grossing $13 million against a production budget of $8.5 million. The critical reception was mixed, with some critics praising the acting, direction and action sequences, but criticizing the limits of the script, pacing and character development. The film is now considered a cult film. Plot Parker and Longbaugh are petty criminals hoping for the proverbial "big score". At a sperm donation clinic, the pair overhear a telephone conversation detailing a $1 million payment to a surrogate mother. They kidnap the heavily pregnant surrogate, Robin, resulting in a shootout with her bodyguards, Jeffers and Obecks, who are arrested. Longbaugh summons Robin's gynecologist, Dr. Allen Painter, to a truck stop to examine her, and he explains that she is carrying the child of money launderer Hale Chidduck and his wife, Francesca.