The Mule

The title is a bit of a giveaway, but only so much. Because the movie might still be able to surprise you. I know it did surprise me a lot. To a certain point it was like "Alright, I know what comes next". But then you have a twist that is very nice. And even though a certain amount of knowledge comes with that and a familiarity that will have people in the know again, it is certainly entertaining. Considering that this really happened (similar to what we get treated to on screen), this is even more amazing.

The actors are having a lot of fun and everything is being laid there for everyone to see. Some material might feel a bit too much, but you can still feel that there is a logic behind it and even the most yucky scene is served for a purpose ... and for fun - and it works most of the time.

This is a really well made film; the plot surrounds Ray who is a bit on the 'slow' side. He plays a bit of 'footie' at his local club and mends electrical goods for a living. Still at home with his parents who are having financial problems. So when he gets made an offer by one of his closest mates to earn some easy cash – he decides to go for it.

It involves a trip to Thailand and more importantly a return trip with a rather full stomach. What follows is a story that had me totally gripped. There are some truly disgusting scenes here too so really make sure you are nowhere near food while this is on – and for a while after.

The acting is all top notch - Ray is played brilliantly by Angus Samson ('Fargo') but the real plaudits have to go to the perfectly horrible cop – Det. Tom Croft played by the superb Hugo Weaving ('Mystery Road') who oozes bad cop in a way that balances sleaze with old school policing and the tension is pounding for most of thisthriller – completely recommended.

This was a really great movie - a unique story told mostly in the bed of a hotel room . There is no sex but some violence. Our mule does not speak much but that the point. Mules are not very smart -they are good and carrying though. The cops are cast well and the Australian production is very enjoyable. I would caution anyone watching this film to not eat any food during the film. The mule's mum and dad play there parts so well and the mob boss who is wound up with aggression -its just a matter of time before someone gets waked. I think the Mule's boss is badly stereotyped as the Jewish TV repair owner,but he is so funny and callous when he wont allow the Mule to take his 30 minute lunch - The Mule quits and owner says Come back - take 35 minutes for lunch. This movie is full of wit and humor while it deals with a very deadly subject.

On the back of the Insidious horror series, Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson share the screen (and writing duties) again for an insidious horror of a different kind, one that's actually real for almost every human on the planet who appreciates the pain of severe constipation, or alternately that of holding the beast bashing at the door, promising to unleash hell.

Cleverly aligned with the underdog story and slow aching crawl and tension of the Americas Cup yacht race as a backdrop, it's a shame The Mule was erroneously positioned as a comedy. Inspired by a true drug importation scenario, The Mule manages to hold attention through a solid, genre-crossing screenplay and acting performances.

The at-times extreme grossness of the central premise won't be to everyone's taste, not least a scene where the mule (played by Angus Sampson) re-ingests his cargo with such excruciating effect viewers like me might want to repurpose their bucket of popcorn.

An entertaining and engaging Aussie flick, The Mule is worth holding on for until the satisfying end.

This is one of those rarely seen movies that just leaves and indelible image in your mind! There are some horrific scenes that are totally unexpected.

The story is a little slow to start but once the hotel part starts you will be stuck to the screen. There are some truly despicable characters to deal with and you will wonder how this will finish.

The dialog and writing becomes more wonderful as the story progresses. I do not want to insert a spoiler because this movie was totally unknown to me and I wasn't expecting much. It delivered more than I ever expected and it's a crime/action surprise.