The Mule (2018)
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A struggling elderly flower farmer becomes a drug courier for a cartel to save his failing business.
The story
In 2005, Korean War veteran and celebrated daylily horticulturalist Earl Stone faces personal turmoil regarding his family and career. Twelve years later, his flower farming business has gone bankrupt and his home is facing foreclosure. While visiting his granddaughter, Earl is approached by a member of a drug cartel who offers him a lucrative opportunity to transport cocaine through Illinois. Because of his age and lack of a criminal record, Earl is initially trusted with large quantities of drugs. He begins to earn significant money, allowing him to reclaim his home and support his family, while remaining unaware of the true dangers of his involvement with the cartel.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Earl Stone, a Korean War veteran and horticulturalist, finds himself in financial ruin and takes a job as a 'mule' for a drug cartel. He earns a fortune, buys back his home, and supports his family, while a DEA team led by Agent Colin Bates works to dismantle the cartel's operations. Earl's life becomes complicated when the cartel's leadership changes, leading to stricter controls. During a massive shipment, Earl is forced to choose between his safety and his family when his ex-wife falls ill. He chooses his family, leading to a confrontation with the cartel and the DEA. After being captured and facing a choice between a plea deal and a trial, Earl pleads guilty to all charges and is sent to prison, where he returns to his passion for horticulture.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 116
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Clint Eastwood
- Writers
- Nick Schenk · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Clint Eastwood · Earl Stone; Bradley Cooper · Colin Bates; Laurence Fishburne · DEA special agent in charge; Michael Peña · Bates' fellow DEA agent; Dianne Wiest · Earl Stone's ex-wife; Andy García
- Genres
- crime drama
- Themes
- loyalty; consequences of choice; family devotion
- Tone and mood
- poignant; charming
- Setting
- Illinois and various locations in the United States during the 2000s.
- Premise and plot tags
- true story; drug trafficking; law enforcement
- Source material / true-story basis
- The New York Times article "The Sinaloa Cartel's 90-Year-Old Drug Mule" by Sam Dolnick
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews, with critics calling it "poignant and charming" and praising Eastwood's performance.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 70%; Metacritic · score: 58 · scale: 100 · review count: 37
- Production trivia
- This was Eastwood's first acting project since 2012.; It was Eastwood's first starring leading role in a film directed by himself since 2008.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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