The Mule(2018)

Things take a complicated turn for the Cartel when right-hand man Gustavo (Clifton Collins Jr.) has boss Laton (Andy Garcia) killed, to take over. Then, he demands handler Julio (Ignacio Serricchio) to keep Earl (Clint Eastwood) on a tighter leash; this, due to the DEA recently zeroing in on the Cartel’s operations from all the info provided by member-turned-informant Luis (Eugene Cordero).

During his twelfth run, Earl gets the news that his ex-wife Mary (Dianne Wiest) is gravely ill -there were signs of this during his granddaughter Ginny’s (Taissa Farmiga) graduation, which Mary tried to brush off as unimportant-. When he angers Ginny after claiming he has “important business to deal with”, he makes the decision of putting the drop on hold so he can be by Mary’s side. He makes amends with her and reconciles with his daughter Iris (Alison Eastwood).

Meanwhile, both the DEA and the Cartel are hot on Earl’s trail: agents Bates (Bradley Cooper) and Trevino (Michael Pena) are on the look for “a black pickup truck” -which is what Earl drives- and catch up with Earl on a motel. Bates and Earl share a friendly conversation at the motel’s diner, but Bates never realizes he had his man right there, partly because Earl adequately concealed his truck to keep it off sight, and Earl gets to walk off safely. Shortly after, two Cartel henchmen capture Earl and almost kill him for what they perceived was a betrayal, but he only ends badly beaten up as a warning. He resumes his delivery trip; however, Bates and Trevino figure it out and, eventually, Earl is cornered and arrested in a roadblock. Despite the circumstances, Bates shows concern and respect for him.

At trial, against his attorney’s advice, Earl decides to plead guilty to all charges on him and is sent to prison. Before being taken away, his family reassure their love for him, which seems to be comforting.

In the final sequence, Earl is seen as an inmate, taking exquisite care of the prison’s flower garden.