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His America, anyway.
The dang internet has killed his nursery business.
Earl takes the money, of course.
He loves being flush, respected, at the wheel.
That means grandpa in Spanish, but Bates doesnt know to look for a skinny old white guy.
That might disappoint some people, and Eastwood means it to.
and pull back his fist or pull out his big gun.
But the nonagenarian Earl Stone isnt Harry Callahan or Bill Munny or even the once-militant Walt Kowalski ofGran Torino.
Early on, before he understands how easily they could kill him, Earl sasses his Mexican handlers.
He says, Ya vol, mein herr, with a silly German accent.
But when they start to rough him up and hisscabronin his face, he does nothing, nada.
Hes not a fighter.
He only wants to sniff flowers.
Clint Eastwood has aged into Ferdinand the Bull.
The thing is, Earlwantsto evolve, even if that evolution is opportunistic.
He strives to be there for his ex when she gets sick.
(Although Earl must really have had his head in the loam.)
You dont always know where Eastwoods sympathies lie.
Whichever, its a bracing scene.
As usual, Eastwoods direction is lean, brisk, and pointedly unfussy.
The casting is spot-on.
However graceful,The Mulewould be a small potatoes without the lift it gets from Eastwoods mythic persona.
Although hes stooped now and thin-shouldered, hes every inch Sergio Leones Man With No Name.
