MovieChat Forums > The Mule (2018) Discussion > What's the message behind this movie?

What's the message behind this movie?

posted 5 years ago by whynotwriteme (7120)
19 replies | jump to latest

We have an elderly white man who was a pillar of his community getting caught for running drugs for Mexican gangsters. There is definitely a message of some kind here. What do you think it is?

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

Give your hard earned money to Clint Eastwood.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Ace_Spade (9345) 3 years ago

Give your hard-earned money to your local Veteran's Association.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Ace_Spade (9345) 3 years ago

Of course! Capitalists and governments horde your money; they treasure it. What's an orphan going to do with it? Immediately buy food! So, did that orphan really *want* that money? No! Not if it was just going to give it away for food.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8291) 5 years ago

There is no real message provided regarding his drug-running activities. The film neither explicitly condones nor condemns the lead character's crimes.

What it does make a statement on though is putting family first. Eastwood's character is someone who always put other things in front of giving time and attention to his family, and he's a man who learns his lesson about this late in life.

[–] Starduster (268) 5 years ago

I would say that you covered it nicely.
The movie IS based on a true story.
I would say that it was less about giving to himself, and more about giving something to his family and to the community and to worthy causes.
To ME there is also a message of DONT get greedy. A LOW profile works. But too many "jobs" only raises the odds of being caught.
Once you're in too deep, you cant get out. If you are caught, dont deny or pass the blame. Accept that you have done wrong, but didnt do it out of malice. These are a few other things I felt were the message.

Frankly before I saw it, I kind of expected this to be about a senior who really couldnt make ends meet and was kind of forced to do this. It kind of started out that way but ended up about him finally giving to his family as well as to organizations and worthy causes.

This is a movie were we know he has done wrong, but we are sympathetic to him at the same time. His character may have started out unlikable, but we admire him for doing good things with his earnings and making amends with his family. We admire him for owning up to his deeds.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 5 years ago

Pay attention to your family. They're the most important thing in life.

😎

[–] brux (14666) 4 years ago

If you're Clint Eastwood you can get away with anything, even a bad movie.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Name one bad Clint Eastwood movie other than J. Edgar.

[–] TrentnQuarantino (8405) 10 months ago

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Cry Macho
Space Cowboys

there's quite a few

[–] tsrt (1091) 4 years ago

Just drive huh? Nope.

[–] Ace_Spade (9345) 3 years ago

The message is about appreciating the best things in life, not just living for the moment. It's about putting family first and living up to your responsibilities.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

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[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

We should feel sorry for old hicks.

[–] TrentnQuarantino (8405) 10 months ago

LOL, give social security a raise