Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- dark
- irreverent
- claustrophobic
- dark comedy night
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film smarter and funnier than its scatological premise suggests, while acknowledging its unusually dark bodily comedy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ray's concealed heroin sachets make defecation, digestion, and bodily failure the central source of both humor and dread.
Ray is held in a supervised hotel room for seven days while detectives wait for his body to reveal the drugs.
The gullible TV repairman becomes a first-time drug mule after accepting an all-expenses-paid trip.
The audience knows Ray is carrying heroin internally while he attempts to convince police of his innocence.
Films like The Mule, and why
In Bruges
shares dark comedy, criminal absurdity, bodily-gag humor, and escalating claustrophobic tension
A Simple Plan
shares contained crime plotting, bleakly comic tone, and ordinary people trapped by criminal circumstances
Animal Kingdom
shares Australian crime storytelling, grim humor, and pressure-cooker suspense
Pain & Gain
shares scatological comedy, criminal farce, and an escalating struggle against authorities
Movie Details
- Director
- Tony Mahony
- Release Date
- 2014-03-10
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (155)
Cast
- Hugo Weaving
- Angus Sampson
- Leigh Whannell
- Ewen Leslie
- Geoff Morrell
- Georgina Haig
- Noni Hazlehurst
- John Noble
- Chris Pang
- Nick Farnell
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Mule about?
- A gullible Australian TV repairman trapped under police watch must survive seven agonizing days while hiding a stomach full of heroin.
- What is The Mule like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Mule as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Mule violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Mule as mild.
- What did critics think of The Mule?
- Critics generally found the film smarter and funnier than its scatological premise suggests, while acknowledging its unusually dark bodily comedy.
- Which films are like The Mule?
- Films with a similar feel include In Bruges, A Simple Plan, Animal Kingdom, and Pain & Gain.
- How long is The Mule?
- The Mule runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Mule?
- In United States, The Mule is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
