The Mule is inspired by a true story.
It’s Clint Eastwood’s first time as actor and director in 10 years. The last was Gran Torino (2008).
The Mule arrived on April 2. It’s on everything from the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, the Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD. The Digital format appeared early on March 19.
TRUE
The Mule released in late 2018, continues Clint Eastwood’s streak of true story themed films to six-in-a-row. (The 15:17 To Paris, Sully, American Sniper, Jersey Boys and J.Edgar.)
The Mule, obviously, isn’t a fact-based tale but takes inspiration from the story of World War II veteran Leo Sharp. He became a drug courier in his 80s for the Sinaloa Cartel. Mr. Sharp was even a subject of a New York Times story.
Stats say the film is a rebound for the 88-year-old Eastwood.
The Mule scored a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes and banked over $168 million at the worldwide box office. The 15:17 to Paris - released earlier in 2018 - appears to be deemed a miss by many with only $57 million worldwide and a low 23% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Oscar-winner Eastwood directed and starred alongside a cast of fellow Oscar nominees from Bradley Cooper (his follow-up to A Star Is Born), Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Dianne Wiest and Andy Garcia.
The screenplay is by Nick Schenk.
TAKE
Would I buy this film? Yes - eventually.
If you liked anything by Clint Eastwood, it is certainly worth the look. He has not been acting since 2012’s Trouble With the Curve.
Is it the best picture quality movie? Maybe not. But the story carried by Mr. Eastwood drew me in.
Eastwood plays Earl Stone, who is not by any means a pleasant man. A man who tended to put work above everything else. To the point, he didn’t show up for his own daughter’s wedding (Played by Clint’s real daughter, Alison.) Eventually, when it seems like everything is going wrong, Earl is offered a job that simply requires him to drive.
But he soon realizes he is a drug courier for the cartel. The more he decides to drive. The more complications.
Bradley Cooper is a supporting character this round, after doing the heavy lifting in A Star is Born and even Eastwood's American Sniper. He partners with Michael Peña. Cooper is DEA agent Colin Bates. And Agent Bates investigation may uncover more than he expected.
Overall, it is a Clint Eastwood movie. Clint still has the acting chops after all these years being offscreen. The rest of the supporting cast handles well from the family drama scenes to the menacing cartel, to the DEA investigation, to just Clint driving.
It is an R film, too. Besides a small risqué sequence - there’s the usual coarse language, drug talk and threats of violence expected in a 116-minute story called The Mule.
It may not be Oscar-worthy overall, but out of Clint’s 2018 work - I pick The Mule over The 15:17 to Paris.
SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW
The DVD only has the Toby Keith music video.
Nobody Runs Forever: The Making of The Mule (10 minutes, 58 seconds.)
- This is the usual behind-the-scenes reel. Clint Eastwood talks about making the movie. His daughter Alison talks about being in the movie. Even talk about the clothes Clint wears, which are actually from some of his past films.
Toby Keith’s Don’t Let the Old Man In Music Video (2 minutes, 52 seconds.)
- The song plays during the end credits of the movie. Toby Keith wondered how Clint Eastwood kept up his schedule and stamina at the age of 88. Clint’s answer - “He said, ‘I just get up every morning and go out. And I don’t let the old man in,’ ” Keith recounts. “And I thought, I’m writing that.”
Warner Brothers Home Entertainment
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