The Mule

Tags

2010's, Alison Eastwood, Andy Garcia, Based on a true story, Bradley Cooper, Clint Eastwood, Crime, Dianne Wiest, Drama, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Peña, Taissa Farmiga, The Mule

Director

Clint Eastwood

Starring

• Clint Eastwood as Earl Stone
• Dianne Wiest as Mary
• Bradley Cooper as Colin Bates
• Michael Peña as Trevino
• Laurence Fishburne as Head of DEA
• Taissa Farmiga as Ginny
• Alison Eastwood as Iris
• Andy Garcia as Laton

Clint Eastwood directs and steps in front of the camera once more with The Mule, which takes basis from a true story of an elderly man who was an unlikely drugs mule for a cartel. With it being Eastwood there is undoubtedly talent here and good spots. The trouble is The Mule stumbles in the mid section and I can’t help but feel it could have been better than it was.

Earl Stone is a 90-year-old horticulturist who has seen better days. He’s become bitter and out of sync with society. His business is approaching foreclosure and after being so neglectful of his family, most of them have shunned him and his wife Mary has divorced him. His granddaughter Ginny hasn’t turned her back on him and invites him to her engagement party. It’s at the party that someone gives Earl a tip-off of a job where all he needs to do is drive. Desperate, Earl accepts, little realising that he’s becoming a drugs mule. Even when he does discover what he’s transporting, he asks no questions as he is so in need of the cash. With the money he gets from each job, he tries to make amends with people he’s wronged in the past and attempts to build more bridges with his estranged family. This goes very well and his efficiency in the job earns him some respect in the cartel community, particularly the head honcho. But the DEA is trying to crack down on drug smuggling and a transportation in Illinois and as headed by the purposeful Colin Bates, they aren’t going to stop until they reach the source of the illegal acts. Earl keeps going with the job, slowly coming to see the darkness he has put himself in. Yet as the DEA closes in and the cartel start to fight amongst each other, Earl is stuck firmly in the middle of what could be a very dangerous situation.

Clint Eastwood brings his usual professional sheen to the film and focuses on characters, primarily Earl. Character development of the titular mule is what this film does well. I especially though there was poignancy to the fact that Earl feels so out-of-place in a technical, modern world that he doesn’t understand. That was one thing that came through loud and clear when watching The Mule. Not all of Eastwood’s decision behind the camera pay off, for starters the film runs too long and falters in the middle part. But his sophistication and handling of the main narrative is excellent and provides at least some emotional tie. If anything’s to blame for The Mule not being an overall excellent movie, it’s the script. Although it does bring out moments of dramatic worth, I need felt it all came together clearly or pleasingly enough. Having the other story of the DEA dragged a lot and didn’t feel not nearly as compelling as watching Earl slowly make attempts at redemption while he goes along on this dangerous ride . And though The Mule has its share of humour and lightness, the middle part where Earl sees the corrupt but intriguing wealth of drug dealers doesn’t quite sit right with the rest of the film. It only is really there to show what while he’s old, he’s still got some rascal about him with the ladies and can still have a good time. This isn’t to say that The Mule is a terrible movie( it’s actually quite good but flawed in execution), I just expected a bit more from it. I’m firmly on the fence with this offering from Eastwood, but his undeniable talent is still alive which I’m grateful for. Once seriousness kicks in, the last half of The Mule redeems quite a number of the foibles that so ruined the earlier parts. It’s here when we get the weight and emotional heft of a man coming to terms with what he’s done and these are the best moments. Eastwood’s love of jazz is prevalent too, using any opportunity he can to indulge us with melodies.

Clint Eastwood can do the grumpy, old guy act in his sleep and he portrays something akin to that here. But being Eastwood, it’s not just cut and dry. He inserts charm, humour and sadness into the character often with just a look or movement of eyes. The character is morally complex and flawed, which Eastwood is adept at bringing forth here and throughout his career. And credit to the guy, he’s 88 and still going strong, even if he’s made to look more frail and weathered here than he actually is. He’s one of the biggest assets going in The Mule and of the best things in it. In yer,s of acting, Eastwood is given the most to do. Dianne Wiest makes the most of her role as the ex-wife who still can’t shake him, despite vehement arguments that she is fine alone. Her scenes with Eastwood really have an emotional hook to them that both play beautifully. On the other hand Bradley Cooper, Michael Peña and Laurence Fishburne are all underused as DEA agents closing on the cartel. All three are great actors, but they aren’t provided with sufficient meat to savour on and make them memorable in this flick. Taissa Farmiga does what she can with her role as the only person who seems to see the good in her flawed Grandfather, while Alison Eastwood(Clint’s actual daughter) has her moments reconnecting with her estranged father that hit hard. In a brief part, Andy Garcia is highly entertaining as the cartel boss with flamboyant style.

Immensely uneven but definitely watchable, The Mule is a mixed offering from Clint Eastwood. I’m firmly in the middle in my opinion, but I can’t deny that Eastwood’s still got it, even when the work is minor and not quite a pitch on his more successful films.

Tightrope

Tags

1980's, Alison Eastwood, Clint Eastwood, Dan Hedaya, Geneviève Bujold, Richard Tuggle, Thriller, Tightrope

Film Title

Tightrope

Director

Richard Tuggle

Starring

• Clint Eastwood as Detective Wes Block
• Geneviève Bujold as Beryl Thibodeaux
• Dan Hedaya as Detective Molinari
• Alison Eastwood as Amanda Block

A thriller that functions as a study of the lines between the hunter and the hunted blurring and strange sexual predilections, Tightrope retains an impact as it explores one man’s journey into murky waters that are complicated by startling links with a killer.

In New Orleans, a spate of sexual murders among prostitutes and massage parlour girls is baffling the police. Experienced and tough Detective Wes Block is the main person investigating, while having his own demons to contend with. His wife left him a while back and he is caring for his two young daughters. While he’s a dedicated father, there is a void in his life that he fills with a dark and possibly damaging string of nocturnal activities, they will become integral later on. Beryl Thibodeaux works at a council centre for a rape prevention program that teaches women self-defense and offers shelter from abuse. She advises Block on certain aspects of the case, but Block is initially standoffish with her. Investigating further, Block discovers that he shares quite a lot of similarities with the killer; the main one being the frequenting of downtown New Orleans for hookers in exchange for kinky encounters. This profoundly disturbs Block, who is trying to balance the dark and good of his life carefully. Unfortunately the killer is very much on his tail and when women that Block has employed the services of start to fall, it starts to get extremely personal for Block. Added to this are his growing feelings for Beryl that seem almost foreign as he’s met by a woman who takes no guff and is far from willing to surrender. He must now track down the taunting killer, who seems to know about his own dark needs and is using it to his advantage to torment him.

The unobtrusive direction brings more attention to the story than just having visuals( which are very good at setting the seedy atmosphere) doing it for them, letting it play out as a slow burn that takes its time with what it wants to say. Richard Tuggle is in the director’s seat, though there have been claims over the years that Clint Eastwood actually directed most of it. Whatever the case with who directed it, Tightrope grabs the attention in a way that isn’t obvious, but still enthralling to watch nonetheless. Where Tightrope particularly soars is in the exploration of how Block sees women, and how his deviant side is given a kicking once the killer latches on to him. This proves to be fascinating to watch, particularly in how his relationship with Beryl forms and he begins to let his guard down, for perhaps the first time in a while. What Tightrope sometimes lacks in tension, it makes up for in character development and thematic value. Saying that, there are a number of chilling scenes, not least when Block’s family are targeted by the killer and the case gets very anguishing for him. It’s more the examination of the man and his attitudes that really makes Tightrope worth the watch, with the thriller parts still there but exceptionally allowing the other content to emerge. The seedy underbelly of things is never far from view as Tightrope isn’t afraid to project the unusual sexual angle to the murder, but these are thankfully not just there for sick exploitative material. They actually serve a purpose and to be honest, a lot of the horrible things that happen occur off-screen. Jazz is featured heavily in the film and excellently counteracted by an electronic pulse whenever darkness drives on the scene, providing a flip on the usually relaxed big band stuff that we hear in the beginning.

Clint Eastwood, through subtle degrees of vulnerability and encroaching shock, excellently layers his performance as the detective haunted by his own behaviour and having it replayed in grisly fashion. Just a stiffening of his neck or a slight uneasiness in his eyes says a lot more than simple dialogue can. Eastwood wisely doesn’t make Block an out-and-out creep, rather a tormented man who wants control and finds it through strange sexual activity. This is offset by his clear love for his daughters and how much he cares about them. Bringing the two sides together makes for one of Eastwood’s most understated yet vulnerable performance. Geneviève Bujold is equally as good playing the rape councillor who is far from a damsel and more than a match for the tough Eastwood. she is also the person who breaks down the wall Block has put up, thanks to her deep understanding and persistence. Bujold splendidly imbues her part with a sympathy and  believable forcefulness that ensure her character is taken seriously in the passionate way she helps Block and others. Dan Hedaya is somewhat saddled with role of sidekick police partner but does pretty good, while Alison Eastwood is convincingly mature as Block’s oldest daughter who just wants her dad around a bit more. It helps that she is really Eastwood’s daughter because the bond between them is very touching.

A dark film that doesn’t shy away from anything sleazy yet wisely rises above exploitation levels, Tightrope features a complex performance from Clint Eastwood that makes it extremely watchable, especially given the disturbing content. More of a character study than out-and-out thriller, the attention given to the characters is what makes Tightrope that something different.