Cry Macho

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam, Eduardo Minett, Natalia Traven, Fernanda Urrejula, Horacio Garcia Rojas
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Western
2021

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A former rodeo star (Clint Eastwood) travels to Mexico to retrieve the estranged son (Eduardo Minett) of his boss (Dwight Yoakam).

Review:

Tim: It feels very difficult to review Cry Macho. In one aspect, it's an amazing achievement, the end result of decades of attempts to get the film made. On the other hand, there are some clear flaws with the film. What complicates matters even more is that it was directed by and stars 90 year-old Clint Eastwood. How do you evaluate what this movie means when (in some ways) it's a culmination of a legend's career? In the end, I liked Cry Macho and acknowledge Eastwood's achievement. However, I also recognize the film's multiple flaws.

First off, it felt impossible to me to separate Eastwood from this film. Maybe that's what I should have done, but I was unable to. The guy is 90 years old, it's stunning that he was able to direct and star in this movie. If I live to be 90, there's no way in hell I could do what he does here. I thought it was shocking that they didn't really address this in the film. I actually think it's one of the bigger flaws in the movie. Eastwood is clearly frail and elderly. The role he plays was clearly written for like a 65 year old. When you add a quarter century on top of that, it becomes increasingly difficult to take this seriously. It's hard to believe the romantic/physical aspects of the story. You have to just forgive the obvious stunt double in the horse-breaking scene. There's no way a 90 year-old man could or would do what Eastwood does in this film. So, his age absolutely hurts the movie and makes it less believable. However, there's this other benefit- that you find yourself cheering for Eastwood throughout the film. I remember a scene where he gets down and looks under a car. I cringed just a little to see him do this unassisted. I know that's a small thing, but I was impressed with what he was able to do. You want Eastwood to succeed, even as you wish the movie was rewritten. I actually think it would have been a better film had it actually been about a 90 year old guy who goes down to Mexico. It did feel odd that the movie pretends this isn't the case.

Outside of just doing the film (which is impressive enough), Eastwood gives a strong performance. He's always been an underrated actor and it felt like a blessing to watch him do his thing here. He's one of the all-time greats and I felt so fortunate I'd gotten to see him act throughout his career. He was quite enjoyable and effective from an acting standpoint here. Dwight Yoakam was good in his small supporting role. He's unlikable yet charismatic, exactly what the character called for. I wouldn't say I loved Eduardo Minett's performance, but it did get better as the film progressed. There's more than a few moments where he impressed with what he did. Natalia Traven adds a warm and memorable supporting performance, too. The cast was average, with only Eastwood as the true standout.

The story itself is fine. It pits our protagonist against some challenging obstacles. It allows for quieter moments for the characters to connect. You might not love the characters by the end of the movie, but you understand them and feel at least somewhat of a connection. You certainly root for them and feel trepidation when they are in harm's way. This is all a directing achievement, as Eastwood manages to pull some emotion out of this story. It helps having a decent cast, too.

In the end, I liked Cry Macho, but I understand why it got mixed reviews from critics. I thought it was good, but more for the impressiveness of what a nonagenarian was able to do. The movie itself is fine, far from Eastwood's best work. However, if it does serve as the swan song for Eastwood's career, it's not a bad way to wrap it up.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



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