Clint Eastwood's new film "The Mule", the so-called "mule" refers to the "drug carrier". The film is based on the story of Leo Earl Sharp, the oldest person arrested in the history of the United States. He was nearly 90 when he was arrested, and Eastwood, who starred in the film, was about his age.
Earl in the movie is, in a way, an old jerk. Not to mention the big right and wrong of drug trafficking and crime, he has always had a hard time showing his true sense of responsibility towards his family.
He was so extreme that he didn't even have to attend his daughter's wedding.
All his life he cared about taking care of his farm, his flowers, and enjoying being social. In his old age, after becoming a drug mule, he also flourished.
Traveling between the United States and Mexico, he drove smoothly, and he was able to face the police on the road without any disturbance. In the high pressure that others can't imagine, he can also gain a sense of freedom.
In the midst of the drug haul, he could stop and enjoy one of the best pulled meat sandwiches in the Midwest. He was even personally met by the big drug lord, and in his mansion, he chatted and laughed with him.
The big drug lord entertained him with two beauties, and he still refused to come. Of course this paragraph was deleted in the imported version. In the face of ignoring and unforgiving his wife and daughter, although he kept saying: I am very guilty, I am a failure, only the family is the most important, but I think these are just perfunctory - it is Earl's perfunctory, but also Easter's Wood's perfunctory.
If Earl was given another chance to choose, it goes without saying that he would still choose the same wonderful life and leave his family behind without looking back.
The reason why it is said is also Eastwood's perfunctory, because this film has more or less his autobiographical nature. The characters he portrays naturally have many resonances with him.
Despite his shining place in film history, Eastwood has always been passionate about his career, and he's probably an old bastard like Earl when it comes to family. There are many similar clues in his previous works.
In addition, the value of the family can almost be said to be the "non-two" value orientation in most American films. Eastwood naturally did not dare to take the risk of the world and put a sticker on family values to seek "political correctness".
But despite what he said in his mouth, I'm sorry for the family and so on, but in the movie he enjoys his slutty life to the death. Those few words of repentance paled in comparison to his actual actions.
In contrast, Earl's family has always loved him deeply.
Before her death, her wife was overjoyed to see him finally come to see her, saying: You are here, for me it is the whole world.
She also said: You are the love of my life and the injustice of my life.
In the sweet words of Earl's "I love you more tomorrow than today", she walked away with great serenity.
Earl's daughter really loves this absent father. She was devastated when Earl didn't come to the wedding.
In the end, Earl was arrested and sentenced to prison in court. She was more heartbroken than he was, and did not resent the father for doing bad things.
She also said comfortingly, "We'll come to see you. At least, I know where to find you this time."
Wife and daughter, the love for Earl is too humble.
Why is this? Every bit of the movie shows the audience that this old bastard really has his unique charm.
He participated in the Korean War, saw the cruelty of war, experienced the tempering of war, and was a tough guy. So even if the drug gang pointed a gun at him, it couldn't threaten him.
He transports drugs because he has his own unique appeal, to maintain the most important value in his heart, and to exchange for the freedom he wants in a unique way. Even for such a special job, he has to show his professionalism and make it his best.
In the process of driving, in addition to his composure and wit, he has a charismatic personality in the movie, and even the young man of the criminal group who monitored him was inspired by his initial hostility.
There are many details in the movie, such as Earl humming a song comfortably while driving, and the young man monitoring him involuntarily humming along with him.
When he met a group of motorcycle girls repairing motorcycles, he glanced at them and gave them advice without hesitation. The old man has experienced the era of hippies, motorcycles, etc., it is estimated that people play the rest.
He also casually referred to them as "Lala". In addition to bringing gender issues, racial issues are hinted at in many places in the film.
What Filipinos, Mexicans, blacks, whites, the movie involves the contempt chain of race and color in American society.
Earl's ability to traverse the drug process unimpeded depends on his age and skin color, and the irony is evident throughout the film.
And Earl himself is an old white man with a sense of superiority. He helps a black couple to change the tires. Although he is helpful, he has to speak in a bad way. He is really a cheap old bastard.
In the movie, even the justice detective played by Bradley Cooper sympathizes with this old man Earl.
There are some details in the movie that illustrate how these two fit together. For example, Earl has repeatedly sighed about mobile phones and the Internet, and the detective who pursued him also inadvertently said that young people "seem to be unable to live without mobile phones."
Both also neglected family for work and missed important anniversaries.
Importantly, both of them displayed some kind of alienation from modern society.
It is well known that Eastwood started his career by acting in westerns. My deepest impression of him is still the "Red Dead" series trilogy. In this "Macaroni Western" series, he is really handsome with a cowboy hat and cape.
Western films had a great influence on him. Until the image of Earl, I also thought he was like an old cowboy. The opposition between civilization and barbarism is still present on his body, and he is as intolerant of modern society as a Chinese "knight".
They have a life-long "uninhibited love of freedom" and have a fatal charm. They are easy to fall in love with, but they never belong to the family.
As shown in Eastwood's other important film "Unforgiven", even if the old cowboy gets married, his wife will die early.
This kind of men and women must not be attached to it, it will be over for a lifetime - maybe I am wrong, and they may be willing to die.
The end of The Mule, I think, shows Eastwood's toughness best.
He really blends in with Earl. In court, Earl dropped his defense and pleaded guilty. Even in such a situation, he still has to insist on the freedom of his own choice, and don't let others control his fate.
And in prison, what did the audience see? Earl is growing flowers, doesn't that fulfill his wish? ! What family, gardening is the old man's lifelong career, and the prison can't actually hold him.
This is also Eastwood's declaration to the world. People say that he is old, but he does not accept old age and can still live his wonderful life.
Since decades ago, every time he made a movie, everyone said it was a curtain call. So does The Mule. But the family's next movie is getting ready. It is said to be a story about the security of the Atlanta Olympics. I don't know what kind of miracle the old man will bring.
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