The Mule

The Mule is a 2014 Australian black comedy crime drama film directed by Tony Mahony and Angus Sampson. It stars Sampson, Hugo Weaving, Leigh Whannell, Ewen Leslie, and John Noble, and it was released directly to iTunes and other digital platforms simultaneously in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States on 21 November 2014. Plot In 1983 Australia, television repairman Ray Jenkins (Angus Sampson) and his football team celebrate the end of their season by spending the weekend in Thailand. Ray's best friend Gavin (Leigh Whannell), a small-time criminal working for local property owner/crime lord Pat Shepherd (John Noble), asks Ray to transport heroin on his return flight. Ray initially refuses, but after learning his stepfather is deeply in gambling debt, and his mother will be targeted if he does not pay up, he agrees to transport the heroin. In Thailand, while wandering through the markets, Gavin goes to pick up half a kilogram of heroin to bring back to Pat. Before he leaves, he purchases an extra half kilogram to sell on his own. At the hotel, Gavin hides the heroin in condoms and coerces Ray to swallow them. Upon their arrival at Melbourne Airport, Ray begins to panic and is eventually detained by customs officials. Believing Ray is a drug trafficker, Australian Federal Police agents Croft (Hugo Weaving) and Paris (Ewen Leslie) arrest him. Ray's lawyer Jasmine Griffiths (Georgina Haig) tells Ray that he can only be held in a hotel room for four days. During the four days, Ray tries to hold back his bodily functions to prevent himself from being convicted, aided by codeine, which constipates him. Gavin returns to tell Ray's mother Judy (Noni Hazlehurst) and stepfather John (Geoff Morrell) that Ray has been arrested. They plan to head to the hotel to visit him, but John has a discussion with Gavin, revealing his participation in the drug scheme to get Pat to get rid of his debts.