Movie Reviews - The Mule

Director: Clint Eastwood
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Alison Eastwood, Dianne Wiest, Taissa Farmiga, Bradley Cooper, Michael Peña, Laurence Fishburne, Andy Garcia, Clifton Collins Jr.

Description: A 90-year-old horticulturist and Korean War veteran (Clint Eastwood) turns drug mule for a Mexican cartel.

Review: Clint Eastwood is almost 90 years old. In “The Mule” he looks vulnerable, but looking at him and listening to him never gets old. It’s like that characteristic look (pursed eyes, raised mouth corner, pained look on his face) has become more intense because of his age. Mumbling, cursing, snarling at the people that cross him, but he never explodes. Eastwood stays cool, even though it’s not like in his Dirty Harry days.
It’s the first time since “Gran Torino”, which marks my favorite Eastwood film, that he signs up for both directing and starring in the film. Walt Kowalski, who he played in “Gran Torino”, and his character in “The Mule”, Earl Stone, have a lot in common. Both conservative, grumpy Korean War veterans who look down at the foreigners in their neighborhoods.
“The Mule” is based on an article in The New York Times. People could read about a 90-year-old American man, that became a drug mule for a Mexican cartel. Eastwood and screenplay writer nick Schenk used this as their inspiration for this story about loyalty, neglect, regret and forgiveness. All these themes get attention and towards the end are finished off nicely. But midway they get lost a little bit and disappear into the background.
In this part of the film, the focus is on Earl Stone’s rides for the Mexican cartel. Because the happenings are repetitive – loading cocaine in the truck, drive it to the destination and deliver it – the makers try to add some variation. And for the most part it works well. But they also added some jokes here and there and they don’t really work. Often racist or sexist.
We have seen a character like Earl Stone very often, but it’s thanks to Eastwood that he becomes somewhat likeable and you get a connection with him anyway.
Eastwood does a lot with a little. Something he is very good at.

Rating: 3,5/ 5