A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
some
Family is more important than work. Doing the wrong thing may have short-term rewards, but you'll pay the price in the end. Technology isn't viewed positively by main character. A few moments of cultural insensitivity. Women are objectified in a couple scenes. Comments about appreciating war veterans, police officers for their service.
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Positive Role Models
very little
Earl is very likable, but he's very often badly behaved. His finest moment comes when he finally decides to place family above work. The cost for this is very high, but it's worth it.
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Violence & Scariness
some
Character shot in back; blood stain on shirt. Dead body in trunk. Bloody wounds on main character's face. Brief scene of DEA agents bursting in on people, beating them with guns/clubs. A character dies of cancer. Arguing, shouting, threatening.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a lot
Topless woman shown. Two women shown in bed, seducing main character; no graphic nudity. Main character kisses, hugs two women in a hotel room; they're seen leaving early the next morning. Bikini-wearing women dance in a sexy way. Brief innuendo. Mention of Viagra.
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Language
a lot
Many uses of "f--k" and "s--t," plus uses of "a--hole," "ass," "bitch," "goddamn," "negro," "beaner," "hell," "stupid," "idiot," and "Jesus."
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Products & Purchases
very little
Mentions of Crown Royal whiskey, Ben-Gay, Google, Home Depot, Viagra.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Drug smuggling is key to the plot; duffel bags full of cocaine shown. Characters drink whiskey in a bar. Characters drink beer at lunch. Cigar-smoking.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Mule stars Clint Eastwood (who also directs) as a 90-year-old man who becomes a drug mule for a Mexican cartel. Drugs are shown, but the business of drugs and drug dealing -- as well as drug use and addiction -- is mostly avoided. Characters do drink socially and smoke cigars. One character is shot and killed, with a blood stain shown; a character dies of cancer. People are briefly beaten or roughed up, and there are threats, shouts, and arguments. Bloody wounds are seen. The main character kisses and is seduced by two women, twice, in two different scenes. A topless woman is shown. Language is quite strong and includes uses of "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," racial slurs, and more. There are also a few moments of cultural insensitivity and women being objectified. But Eastwood is still at the height of his skill, and the movie is quite entertaining. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In THE MULE, Earl Stone (Clint Eastwood) is a 90-year-old horticulturalist who finds his business dwindling with the rise of the internet. At a wedding party for his granddaughter, Ginny (Taissa Farmiga), Earl is approached by one of the guests about a driving job; he's been on the road most of his life and has an impeccable record, so he agrees. Despite the weird conditions of the job -- and the anonymous packages he's transporting -- everything goes smoothly, and the money rolls in. But before long, Earl discovers that he's actually transporting drugs. Feeling he has no choice but to continue, Earl rises through the ranks and is eventually summoned to meet the cartel leader (Andy Garcia). But when Earl's ex-wife (Dianne Wiest) gets sick, he realizes that he's neglected his family for too long and risks everything to be with them. Meanwhile, two dogged DEA agents (Bradley Cooper and Michael Peña) are on his trail, in addition to the angry cartel.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Mule depicts drugs. Are the wide-reaching effects of drugs shown or discussed? Is drug smuggling glamorized? Is there a price to pay?
How is sex portrayed? What values are imparted?
Are there any strong female characters here? Are women objectified? What message does that send?
Did you notice any moments of cultural/gender insensitivity? Were they funny? Harmful? What do you think their intent was?
Do you agree with the movie's theme that family is more important than work? What about its/Earl's opinion on technology? Do you agree that people are on their phones too much?
Movie Details
- In theaters: December 14, 2018
- On DVD or streaming: April 2, 2019
- Cast: Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Taissa Farmiga, Michael Pena
- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Latino actors
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 116 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language throughout and brief sexuality/nudity
- Last updated: August 10, 2023
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