The Mule 2018

     Based on The New York Times article, The Sinaola Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule by Sam Dolnichg.  Earl Stone is a man in his 80’s.  He’s not a happy man because he is broke, alone and facing foreclosure of his horticultural business.  Internet sales instead of orders have become the norm for his flowers.  He’s offered a job that simply requires him to drive?  This can’t be difficult, he knows how to drive, he hasn’t had any tickets, he has a license and he has an old truck.  What Earl doesn’t realize is that he is working for a Mexican cartel and he’s carrying larger and larger amounts of drugs each time he drives.  He has also come up on the radar of DEA agent Colin Bates.  Earl’s money problems become an old problem.  Now, he begins to regret the mistakes he has made in the past.  He has wronged everyone in his family!! 

     Is it possible that Earl doesn't really know what he is carrying in the back of his truck?  How could he earn so much money for doing so little if this was legal?  Not one member of his family has any good feelings for him.  They expect the worst from Earl and that's what they have always been given.  I wonder if Eastwood is really acting or is he playing himself in this role?  All the characters conveniently and exactly fit into their predetermined stereotypes?  3* (This movie is OK)

       

116 min, Crime directed by Clint Eastwood with Bradley Cooper, Michael Pena, Andy Garcia, Patrick L. Reyes, Cesar De Leon, Clint Eastwood, Gustavo Munoz, Jackie Prucha, Richard Herd, Adam Drescher, Christi McClintock, Keith Flippen, Alison Eastwood, Dianne Wiest, Joe Knezevich, Megan Leahy, Taissa Farmiga.

Note:  Imdb 7.1* out of 10, Roger Ebert 2* Christy Lemire, Rotten Tomatoes 70% critic 66% audience, The Guardian 3* out of 5* Peter Bradshaw, Indie Wire B+ David Ehrlich, Metacritic 58 out of 100 with 37 critics 6.9 out of 10 with 118 reviews (positive 76, mixed 35, negative 7), Amazon 4.3* out of 5* with 1624 reviews, Common Sense Media Jeffrey M. Anderson age 16+ 4* out of 5* positive 3*, role 1*, violence 3*, sex 4*, language 4* consumerism 1*, drinking, drugs, smoking 3*.

Special Note: This film is inspired by the story of Leo Sharp.  He was a WWII veteran in his 80’s who became the world’s oldest and most prolific drug mule for the Sinaloa Cartel.  Filmed in Augusta, McDonough, Decatur, Atlanta, Canton, Norcross, Jonesboro, Georgia and Las Cruces, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico.  Andy Garcia said he would have accepted any role because he wanted to do a movie with Clint Eastwood.  Alison Eastwood is Clint’s daughter!!  She was born in Santa Monica California on May 22, 1972 and her mother is Maggie Johnson also know as Margaret.  She has appeared in Mannix and Ironside both of 1967.  Alison has recently focused on production and directing and she was surprised that her father asked her to play alongside him in this film as Iris, Earl’s daughter.  Clifton Collins Jr., I the role of Gustavo is Clint Eastwood’s real life ex-son-in-law.