‘The Mule’ absolutely delivers

Posted on December 21, 2018

By MARK VIOLA

When we think of drug mules, 90-year-old World War II veterans don’t typically come to mind. Which is probably why Leo Sharp became one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s most prolific mules, transporting hundreds of kilos of cocaine for almost a decade.

His story was the subject of a New York Times article, and now four years later, director Clint Eastwood’s (“American Sniper”) latest film, “The Mule,” is inspired by the stranger-than-fiction tale.

This is Eastwood’s first credited on-screen role since 2012’s “Trouble with the Curve” and the first time he has directed himself since 2008’s “Gran Torino.” Although I was not a fan of his earlier 2018 effort, “The 15:17 to Paris,” “The Mule” proves that Eastwood can still craft a captivating film while also delivering a compelling performance. (Not that I ever doubted it.)

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