Photo Courtesy of Cry Macho
‘Cry Macho’, which was released in theaters Sept. 17, is the latest — and a fantastic — addition to director and actor Clint Eastwood’s long list of cinematic accomplishments.
Probably the most impressive thing about ‘Cry Macho’ is that it was able to be made at all. Eastwood was 91 years old while working on the movie. Yes, 91 years of age. The fact that he is still in good enough health to finish a movie is remarkable.
It’s clear his age influenced a lot of this film, too. Eastwood plays the title character, Miko, who seems to just be waiting for death at this point. He spent years consistently pursuing his dream of becoming a rodeo star. And he did — he found his true purpose in life and found success in it. Then he looked up one day and realized how many years had passed him by. Now his dream is nothing but a fading memory of his past, and he lives without a true purpose.
For Miko, and for many others, time moves forward regardless of age or position. Time is ruthless, insensitive and obeys no one. Life on Miko’s ranch has been stagnant lately, and he finds himself relieving the same day over and over again. As bones age and his heartbeat hinders, each passing day becomes a foreseen statement without adventure. It seems Miko is just waiting for death now.
However, a new adventure presents itself. Without giving too much away, this adventure affects Miko and his family, who are also stuck in this same stagnation. And Miko wonders if maybe, just maybe, this adventure can give him life again.
Personally, I like this movie. I could be biased because I am a Clint Eastwood fan, and this movie is a basic Clint Eastwood film. ‘Cry Macho’ has the feel of an old western movie, following a lot of the same plot beats. It tells the story of a man who focuses only on his craft and goes home when his job is done. He is a simple man who keeps to himself and does not bother anybody. But, as soon as trouble emerges, he becomes concerned and guilty. He feels as though he forgot to pay back a debt, like he still owed someone something. So, he returns to the spotlight one last time, just so he can find peace again.
Ultimately, a lot of this movie can be accurately guessed, including its ending. You can figure out how the somewhat surprising romantic relationship develops. You can expect shots of beautiful desert scenery, designed to help bolster the main storyline.
However, ‘Cry Macho’ is more about the journey to the climax instead of the climax itself. This movie is slow paced, and has very little action scenes. It is clear that ‘Cry Macho’ is purely focused on the storyline, and it’s one that works well.
I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Cry Macho’, and think you can, too. This is the type of movie you can watch either with your family or your significant other. It is truly remarkable to see a man like Eastwood give the majority of his life to his profession, and to see him still able to create another excellent movie.
It gives me, and many film fans, a great amount of joy to see Clint Eastwood again on the big screen, even if only for one last time.
