I had never heard of Leo Sharp before watching "The Mule". What a story. Clint Eastwood (who also directed) plays a fictionalized version of Sharp, smuggling drugs for a cartel partly because it enables him to spend the money benevolently. These moral conundrums arise a lot.

It was a little weird in some scenes, seeing Eastwood surrounded by women a fraction of his age; probably wishful thinking on his part. Even so, the movie shows how the old man got more and more into the business, resulting in some tense incidents. In addition to Eastwood, there's good support from Laurence Fishburne, Bradley Cooper, Dianne Wiest, Andy Garcia and Taissa Farmiga.

The 88 year old Clint Eastwood who apparently has enough wits about him to keep a driver's license decides at the suggestion of a guest at his daughter's wedding to do some driving for friends who will pay him well, very well. It's only after a few trips that retired horticulturalist Eastwood realizes its drugs he's hauling and he's making too much money now to quit. In fact he's pulled himself out of some serious debt and bequeathing gifts all around.

Being the devil's advocate you got to say that drug dealers are ingenious in terms of finding new methods of smuggling. Who would expect a super senior citizen who is a few years would probably have his license lifted to be a drug mule. I say that because two of my uncles at Eastwood's age had their driver's licenses lifted by the State of New York. But while they were still driving no drug cop or any other kind would have given him a second look.

Which what happens to DEA agent Bradley Cooper and other law enforcement when they come across Eastwood. But the wiretaps that the DEA has gives them chatter about someone who is becoming legendary for the weight he is delivering.

The Mule is a bittersweet picture about old age and Clint Eastwood drew a lot from his own life and others to give us this portrayal. I should also single out Dianne Wiest who plays his estranged ex-wife and mother of his daughter who loves him, but can't stand his irresponsible ways.

What I love about this film is that we leave Eastwood doing exactly what he was doing as the film opened only in a different location. And he has a degree of security he never had before.

Watch the film to see what I'm talking about. God willing Clint may be acting and directing himself in his 90s.

THE MULE is another directorial effort from Clint Eastwood, who comes out of retirement in a perfect bit of self-casting as the lead role. This is a true story about an average aged pensioner, happily involved in horticulture, who unbelievably becomes a major drug mule for a Mexican cartel. It's quirky and entertaining stuff, shot through with heart and sentiment thanks to the realistic and well-developed lead characters. Eastwood is having a ball in the lead role and offers something we haven't seen from him before: parrot-voiced, curmudgeonly and stubborn, but with a real innocence too. This makes a good companion piece with Redford's THE OLD MAN & THE GUN but has the edge on that one.