THE MULE Review — A Stubbornly Charming, if Not a Thrilling Clint Eastwood Vehicle
The Mule Review — Not exactly what you’d expect from Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper, but it’ll do.
Inspired by a true story taken from a magazine article, a creaky but charming old gentleman in his twilight years turns to a life of crime and uses his elderly assets to escape the law.
No, this is not Robert Redford in The Old Man & the Gun. It’s The Mule, also based on a true story taken from a magazine article, in which Clint Eastwood stars as Earl Stone, a man in his 80’s, set in his ways, estranged from the family he’s neglected for many years, and facing bankruptcy on his lily farm. In desperation, he inadvertently becomes a drug runner for a Mexican cartel (as you do).
It’s a helluva story, which Eastwood (who also directed) appropriately takes his time unspooling. It’s at its best when he’s dealing with the cartel—learning how to text, stopping for pulled pork sandwiches (much to his handlers’ consternation) and croaking out sage advice learned the hard way. He manages to successfully evade the DEA for so long and make pots of money because of the incongruity of a crotchety old guy running drugs.
Eastwood has surrounded himself with an extraordinary supporting cast, but unfortunately he’s given them very little to do. Bradley Cooper, Michael Peña and Lawrence Fishburne as the DEA team that attempts to bring him down, fall flat. Imagine wasting those guys!
Even Earl’s family—his daughter (played by real life offspring Alison Eastwood) ex-wife (Dianne Wiest) and granddaughter, (Taissa Farmiga), talented actresses all—are limited by shallow and cliched roles. There’s not much they can do with their platitudinous and preachy lines expressing their resentment at being neglected in favor of Earl’s lilies and colleagues, low these many years.
The Mule, much like The Old Man and the Gun, is a pleasant film, it’s an entertaining film, but it’s not a riveting or thrilling film. Still, it manages to get by on the respect due to the talent behind it.
If this The Mule review compels you to go see it, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.
Rated R
1 Hour 42 Minutes
The Mule Review — Not exactly what you’d expect from Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper, but it’ll do.
