Clint Eastwood’s return to acting in movies directed by himself after a 10-year hiatus – following the release of Gran Torino – is one of Netflix’s treats to fans of crime drama films.
It tells the story of Earl Stone (Eastwood), a 90-year-old horticulturist, who, facing financial hardship and family estrangement, becomes a drug courier for a Mexican cartel – he is seemingly the perfect “mule” because of his age and seemingly innocuous appearance, allowing him to transport drugs unnoticed.
While initially motivated by desperation, his involvement with the cartel leads to wealth and the opportunity to reconcile with his family. However, as his involvement deepens and the cartel’s demands increase, he must confront the consequences of his actions and the growing threat from law enforcement and the cartel itself.
The Mule’s screenplay was inspired by the 2014 The New York Times article “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule” by Sam Dolnick, which tells the true story of Leo Sharp, a World War 2 veteran in his 80s who became a drug courier for the Sinaloa Cartel.
The landmark project was Clint Eastwood’s first acting project in six years, since Trouble With the Curve, and his first starring leading role in a film he directed since 2008.
He is backed by a strong cast including Bradley Cooper as Colin Bates, a DEA agent, Laurence Fishburne as Warren Lewis, Bates’ supervisor, Michael Peña as Trevino, Bates’ partner, Dianne Wiest as Mary Stone, Earl’s estranged ex-wife, Taissa Farmiga as Ginny, Earl’s granddaughter, and, finally, Clint’s daughter Alison as Iris, Earl’s estranged daughter.
The Mule was a box office success upon release, grossing $174 million worldwide, and did not disappoint critics. It currently holds a score of 70% on reviewing platform Rotten Tomatoes.
One of the reviews reads: “Superb! Stunning performance as ever from one of my all time favourite actors and storytellers. If you love Clint in his later years as I do, you’ll love this”.
“Great cast. Clint did a good job as always with direction & production. The script was compelling. It didn’t leave me wanting for more or anything else. A complete & masterful film”, wrote another fan.
“I’m gonna be honest: this was the top 10 best movies of 2018 and one of the best of the 2010s”, one commenter praised. “The acting is amazing and convincing. The script was also phenomenal, with all of the bits showing what Earl likes to do and how the joys of life are in the simplest things; which directly contracts and creates a lovely juxtaposition with the drug dealing scheme. This was also one of the EXTREMELY rare movies that I actually cried at”.
The Mule (2018) is now available to stream on Netflix in the UK.