Eastwood is one of the best actors and directors in the history of Hollywood cinema, and one of my most respected Hollywood artists. For Eastwood, he fully deserves the title of "artist", both actor and director he has achieved the ultimate excellence, and his acting career has been transformed twice, from the hero of the West to the hero of World War II, and from the hero of World War II to the hero of the city, and finally became the director, became the hero of the screen in my heart.
Eastwood's love and focus on film is on full display in the work, but an enemy has gradually made him powerless, yes, these are the years. The Hollywood legend from 1930 celebrated his 89th birthday in May, and when filming "Classic Car", he said that this was his last actor, but in 2018, he appeared again in his director's work "Mule", I don't know if this is his last performance, but the first time when watching his movie, so devoted, and so mixed "drama".
He was old, and it was an irresistible law of nature, but seeing his already somewhat trembling appearance in The Mule made people feel sad. In this movie, he plays such a role, a former hero, an American World War II veteran, but after the war, he is a bastard, obsessed with cultivating good flowers, enjoying personal life, but at the same time ignoring the family, and not even appearing at his daughter's wedding.
As a result, he broke with his family completely, his wife and daughter were far away from him, and only his granddaughter remained enthusiastic about him. And as his granddaughter's big day approached, he was almost bankrupt, kicked out of his house, and drove an old pickup truck to congratulate his granddaughter, only to encounter his wife's reprimand and his daughter's cold face.
At this point, the old man's life seems to be able to make an account, that is, a contradictory life, you say that this is a failure, he once served the country on the battlefield, is a well-respected heroic veteran. You say that he plays life, but he is really serious about flowers, but he also ignores the family affection in life that is equally worth cherishing. Eastwood often plays some eccentric old people in his old age, such as the role in "Classic Car", but such a role often uses confrontation with the world to hide the weakest side of his heart and loneliness.
Thus, a turning point in life full of black humor appeared, and the old man was pulled into the water and became a drug transporter of the drug cartel. Of course, this also reflects the paradox of his life, you say how can you covet money for yourself at this age, his original intention is just to make his granddaughter's wedding more decent. Thus begins the story of an old man who has gone astray and can be on the social news, and the whole process seems absurd but not so surprising from the beginning to the reluctant continuation, and even to the point of having a good relationship with the criminals. Because, in his later years, he finally realized what he had missed, but "between the world and the earth of life, if the gap between the white colt is suddenly over", it is late, everything is too late, and his time is short. So, he began to hope to make up for it with materials, and slowly found his own value, as an old decaying wood, he actually did a good job in this industry, and even broke the defenses of some drug dealers and young people called brothers, we can fully understand this old man who has been confused in interpersonal relationships for half a lifetime and can be called a failure, the happiness of this process.
Of course, as the story progresses, the old man encounters more changes and troubles, and it is in this process that we can feel that the characters in the film and the actor Eastwood seem to have been connected. How many times, when he faced the provocative intimidation of the drug dealer minions, as an audience, how much he expected to finally give them a fight back like the hero he had played. After all, he had traversed the American West, he had been fearless on the battlefields of World War II, and he had been the dirty Harry of the city. However, Eastwood, as a director, is very fair and does not let him become a superhero again, because he is old, how can an old man who is so old that he can only walk slowly can be strong? Therefore, although he has a strong vision, he can only bow to life, he pretends to be free, but it is difficult to hide the desire to make up for family relations.
The unique background of the story makes this story fade away from the absurdity of an old man who has gone astray, but makes you feel a strong sense of reality, Eastwood's performance reflects a kind of natural nature, and even, his pretentious freedom and humor make you trance back to his cowboy era in the west. I think this is exactly what moves the audience with the whole movie, it is not a film with intense dramatic conflict, nor is it a movie with a plot of ups and downs, its rhythm is soothing, even if it encounters contradictions and conflicts, it can always be gently put down. However, the feelings in the film can be described as sincere and touching, and the words on the occasion of his wife's death that he ignored are even more touching, "You don't need to use becoming rich to make us feel that we need you", so the old man's heart knot is opened, which comes late, but who has the heart to endure this old man who tries to make up for regrets in his old age.
No one is always young, but there are always people who are getting old; no one is born old, but there are always people who are getting old. Eastwood, once young, once dashing, once charming, once tough, once brave, once affectionate. Nowadays, we see an old man with a deep age on his face, let us feel Eastwood's performance in his twilight years in this movie, to experience his sense of life, there are too many things in this world that we cherish, family, affection, and, such a great filmmaker.