Cry Macho

Director: Clint Eastwood

Writer: Nick Schenk (who also wrote Gran Torino), N. Richard Nash

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam, Eduardo Minett, Natalia Traven

Reason for watching: Clint Eastwood made a movie. Of course, I watched it.

Number of times I’ve watched it: first time viewing

***

Macho. Manly. Masculine. Clint Eastwood still somehow fits the description of those words and he’s old enough that he is a Korean War veteran (I say veteran instead of hero because he was described as literally being a lifeguard during the war). He has fit the role of man’s man since he was an infant when he was born at eleven pounds and six ounces. But as he has gotten into his later years his roles and directorial efforts have centered more on what it means to be a man. Cry Macho is at least a decent attempt at answering that question.

Quick plot summary: Mike (Eastwood), a Texas Ranchhand, is sent down to Mexico by his boss (Dwight Yoakam) to bring his son Rafo (Eduardo Minett) back up to the States. Mike finds Rafo and helps him escape some trouble, including thugs sent by Rafo’s mother Leta (Fernanda Urrejola). The two run out of luck as they get close to the border, but they find some safety in the home of Marta (Natalia Traven), a kindly stranger who has an interest in Mike (because Clint Eastwood was once very handsome and still thinks he is). But eventually, Mike and Rafo have to come to terms with what they need to do to become men.

Firstly, I cannot really tell where Clint Eastwood’s acting begins and his real-life persona ends. If anything, perhaps he selects movies where he can just be himself and keep the acting to a minimum. It doesn’t affect Cry Macho though. Generally, it adds a comedic effect to the movie, as does the duo between Eastwood and Minett. The awkwardness of their interaction lightens the mood of otherwise serious circumstances stances. Plus their conflicting viewpoints on life and different experiences make for intriguing conversations. What is unbelievable is the idea that somehow whenever Eastwood comes to blows with anyone that he can still move quickly at all. On a slower note, he does have one nice scene with Marta where they dance in a dream-like state.

Look, I don’t have a ton of thoughts on this movie because there is not a lot of substance here. It’s a bag of pretzels. A little bit of saltiness and some harmless carbs. I imagine that is not what Eastwood ever thought one of his movies would be compared to, but alas I have made the comparison.

6/10

Until I see another one