The Mule (2018)

Saw The Mule today. First show of the first day with the Mom who appreciates seeing movies made by her generation. I will give this a solid 8.5 out of 10. First off, its nice to see an older actor playing (and producing and directing of course) an older person from (their own) generation and era. No Hollywood play ups (with PC actors acting parts that would have never been filled by someone other than who it would have been in real life!) or PC. If you liked Gran Torino, you will like this one too. Written about a World War 2 gen and his life as a Drug Mule in the Modern World. Young people who are not familiar with this generation, because they are so far removed from it, probably will not understand the sociology of the greatest generation. This would be their great great grand fathers. So probably good idea to (have them) watch movies about this generation before seeing this one. Like I said, youngsters are too far removed to understand the way of the older generation. What makes this movie good is based on a true story, with some human events sprinkled through to add texture and dimension to the character. Older folks will appreciate seeing someone their own age, doing something daring, and illegal, rather than watching some youngster. Good adult entertainment and examination of society and what folks will do if they are driven to do something or given the chance to do something they would have never done, read the NY times article on the guy this is based on. Take your grandparent.....This is classic modern Eastwood.

Fmovies: I was preparing an in-depth review, but this film doesn't deserve one.

The good: -Clint Eastwood -Supporting cast -Music score and soundtrack -A couple strong moments (Earl and Mary's last convo, Earl and Agent Bates' last convo)

The bad: -Shallow characters -Story lacks detail and complexity -Tonally uneven -The purpose and message of the film was conveyed in an unimaginative and cliche manner

If you love Eastwood, check it out. You might enjoy it. Sadly, his character is the only one with any nuance, substance, or layers. The plot is developed poorly without enough detail to make the viewer feel immersed or invested in what's going on.

I'll keep it short. Not a bad movie, a little slow but just enough to keep you interested. Good acting, funny wise cracks, ending kind of a let down. Still better than 90% of the movie out there. 7/10

The Mule fmovies. A marketing campaign coming in at the 12th hour and a film that's still been surprisingly hidden by Warner Bros, The Mule could be a fitting end to a storied Hollywood career from Clint Eastwood. In many ways mirroring his life, The Mule gives insight into Eastwood's inner psyche, as he has navigated being an in demand actor for over 60 years whilst having a large family to look after as well. So if you're looking at the film in that way, it's a sharp and poignant apology Eastwood is sending to his family after all these years. It's not a perfect film, but it's tightly directed, at times brilliantly intense, and even emotionally moving. Even if it is a ultimately predictable and unsurprising drama. If it is Eastwood's last hoorah, it's been one hell of a run.

7.7/10

Clint Eastwood is a wonderful actor and director. He tells a story of a 90 year old man facing money and family issues. However, when he works for the wrong people, he may have money coming in so he can enjoy life but the consequences at the end will hit him hard.

This movie was pretty entertaining, their some scenes I enjoyed laughing and some I was sad. Regret hurts. You wish you could turn back the clock. Clint Eastwood presents that wonderfully in this movie. This is a great film to see.

You could say I'm a considerably huge Clint Eastwood fan, I celebrate the man's whole career and love most of his work. As a director, I think he's been solid overall, making a handful of classic films along the way. As watchable as it is, The Mule is not one of them. It could be the last big thing we see from Eastwood's career, and if so, then it's not a bad note to go out on, but it's not his best, and it doesn't have to be. He's proven himself a hundred times over, and this is the film he wanted to make. The Mule is a fine movie to watch, and Eastwood plays a very subdued character, unlike his role in Gran Tarino where he still had shades of his bad boy past. He's softer, he's passive, he's what you expect a man of this age to be...and in that way, he played it perfectly.