Review: The Mule

Directed by Clint Eastwood

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Michael Pena

The plot follows a World War II veteran in his 90s who became a drug courier for the Sinaloa Cartel.

My man Clint is back with his first acting/directing role since Gran Torino back in 2008. It's been quite a mixed bag when it comes to Eastwood films in the past few years. I personally enjoyed American Sniper, Sully was good, and 15:17 to Paris was horrible. The Mule wasn't the film I expected it to be, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's not good.

It is clear Clint is into biopics, considering his most recent films are biopics. This film follows the same formula, just this time Clint is back in the acting chair. Surprising enough, while Eastwood is a remarkable and inspirational actor, he is a even better director. He has directed some really fantastic films such as Letters from Iwo Jima, and Million Dollar Baby, and has won 4 Academy Awards for his directing work.

I have to admit, the plot and screenplay wasn't as good as I expected it to be. With the reviews I read before hand, I was actually afraid the film would be stale, and that I would be completely bored (similar to how I felt during 15:17 to Paris). This however, wasn't that case. Eastwood impresses me how good an actor he still is, and whenever he's in the frame, my eyes just plaster to the screen. He does a really good job portraying Earl, a 90 year old drug mule for a Mexican cartel. He is a character completely written and is perfect for Eastwood, as he is grumpy, and is often annoyed/disappointed at the newer generations (similar to his character in one of his best films, Gran Torino). This in return was really entertaining and enjoying for me, even if the pacing was a bit off and the narrative wasn't too interesting. I actually found Bradley Cooper to be quite disappointing in his role, to be honest, same goes with Michael Pena, who were really forgettable characters.

Visuals-wise, there was some good cinematography and some good shots, nothing special or over the top. The music was barely noticeable either, to be honest. Those expecting this to be Clint Eastwood's big comeback with a bang, prepare to be disappointed. I however am not like those people, this film actually has a lot of heart to it, and while there weren't many big action scenes, I felt the emotions that the story wanted to convey.

In conclusion, while it is not the hit we expected, it was still entertaining nonetheless. I have to give props to Clint Eastwood, who proves that he is still a great actor and who also has made this film much more enjoyable than it actually is. Not his best, certainly not his worst.

My rating: 7.0/10

#FilmReview #2019