The Mule (2018)

Inspired by true events from the 1980s, the title refers to the practice of transporting illegal drugs across borders, in this case American borders for a Mexican drug cartel by an octogenarian named Earl Stone (Eastwood).
Alas, outside of his courier role Earl is a pretty boring character. The semi-estrangement that exists between him and his family could've added colour, but it's sorely underdeveloped. An attempt to add tension and drama in the form of a pursuing DEA squad headed by an even more bland Bradley Cooper also falls mostly flat. Eastwood keeps things pleasingly traditional in style and direction, but the depth of character and/or interactions that were needed to keep such a one-note story engaging simply weren't there.

2½ pecans out of 5