“Cry Macho” Review

In his first western since 1992, Clint Eastwood stars in “Cry Macho” his latest film as both an actor and director. In the film, Eastwood journeys into Mexico where he befriends a troubled kid.

Clint Eastwood is obviously one of the most beloved actors/directors in American cinema with a career stretching from the 1950s to the present day. He’s starred in some of the best films of all time including “A Fistful of Dollars,” “For a Few Dollars More,” “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” and “Dirty Harry” while also directing several all-time classics like “Unforgiven,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “Letters from Iwo Jima,” “Gran Torino” and “American Sniper.” In 2019, one of the best years of all time for film, Eastwood’s “Richard Jewell” managed to stand out.

With such a great track record, I was really looking forward to his latest film “Cry Macho” which is currently in theaters and on HBOMax. While it is interesting in the moment and Eastwood is fantastic as always, “Cry Macho” doesn’t have the staying power of Eastwood’s previous work.

Set in 1979, Eastwood stars as an old Texan ranch hand named Mike Milo who is sent to Mexico by his boss Howard (Dwight Yoakam) to retrieve Howard’s 13-year-old son Rafael (Eduardo Minett). When Mike finds Rafael and his pet rooster Macho cockfighting in Mexico City, Mike mentors Rafael on how to be a better person while they journey to the border leading to a journey neither of them will forget.

Eastwood and Minett are easily the best part of the film because their relationship feels real. While Rafael is a troubled kid, it’s mainly a result of him having lived in the streets away from his abusive mother (Fernanda Urrejola) and he eventually warms up to Mike’s tough attitude. The most engaging parts of the film consist of them just talking about their lives and it’s interesting because of how committed these actors are.

While not a typical western, falling more into the neo-Western category alongside films like “No Country for Old Men” and “Logan,” Eastwood’s direction reminds me of just how good he was in this genre. While Eastwood said for years that 1992’s “Unforgiven” was his last western, his return to the genre is marked with beautiful photography and a strong sense of atmosphere. 

One thing I found confusing about the film was how disjointed it all was. The first ten minutes are full of expository dialogue from Howards about Mike’s history when just a few photos of the two of them would have been enough. You don’t have to tell me your entire history, just present a few visuals for the audience to connect the dots. Once Mike meets Rafael, that’s where the film really started for me.

Clint Eastwood (Left) and Eduardo Minett’s performances gave “Cry Macho’s” barebones story more weight.

But halfway through, the film goes in an unexpected direction. The film’s main plot is about these two people making their way to the border so you would think it’s going to be about this journey especially when Rafael’s mother sends men to bring Rafael back to her. But it kind of halts for a while, especially when Mike and Rafael spend 25 to 30 minutes in a border community riding horses and helping sick animals. While these scenes are nice and help build character, it does distract from the overall story to the point where the hired men and the urgency of the journey are almost pointless.

This is a movie built more on character than story and these characters are fine so “Cry Macho” is essentially a decent film. However, I couldn’t help but compare this film to “Gran Torino” which has similar themes about an old  man, played by Eastwood, mentoring a troubled kid and leading him to a better future. But while “Gran Torino” was a more gritty and edgy film, to the point where it had an R rating, “Cry Macho” is more subdued with a PG-13 rating. It’s less harsh and more sentimental from a man who looks rough, but is actually a far more sensitive artist than people might assume.

But while I could be overtly negative with Eastwood for creating a film that meanders instead of taking a straight shot from Point A to Point B and so on, I think Eastwood was trying to create a more laid back film. “Cry Macho” feels less like a completed story and more like a film that is meant to reflect Eastwood’s peaceful existence after being in the film industry for so long.

At 91 years old, it’s impressive that Eastwood is still acting and making films both with great frequency and great quality. Even when they’re not especially great, there’s still a clear vision to them that I admire. As far as Clint Eastwood films go, “Cry Macho” is serviceable, but I was really craving another great film. But if you want a quiet film to watch on a Sunday, especially if you have some older, more rural people in your life (of which I have several) then “Cry Macho” just might cut it.