CRY MACHO

US, 2021, 104 minutes, Colour.

Clint Eastwood, Eduardo Minett, Dwight Yoakam, Natalia Traven, Fernanda Urrejola.

Directed by Clint Eastwood.

Audiences will not be surprised when they see Macho in the title and note that the film stars Clint Eastwood as well is being directed by him. There would be many memories of Clint Eastwood as macho in so many westerns and detective and police films like the Dirty Harry series.

But, this is not really that kind of film at all. It is low-key and genial. And Macho is the name of a rooster, a champion cockfighter. And, Clint Eastwood was 90 when he was filming. He is a bit stooped. He shuffles a bit as he walks. However, he has the opportunity to drive a car from Texas to Mexico and back to the border. He is seen on horseback (and his double doing quite some work in subduing horses). His character, Mike Milo, has a ranch background, working with horses, a rodeo champion, but, as we see in a flashback, having had a literal backbreaking injury. He is in forced retirement.

This is a road film. Mike’s former employer commissions him to drive to Mexico City and bring back his young son, Rafo, Eduardo Minett. At first, this does not seem to be too difficult, Mike confronting the boy’s mother who disdains him, taking the clue to look at cockfights where he sees the boy with his own champion, Macho. The police raid, hiding, the boy’s suspicions, Mike going back to the boy’s mother and being threatened. So, some tension – but much less than in high action dramas.

So, a road movie, on the way back to the Mexican-US border. They are pursued but get away, hiding in a small town – and the film slows down as they do and we spend some time, genial, time there. They decide to sleep in a shrine to the Virgin Mary, giving Clint Eastwood the chance to raise some of the religious themes that he has in past films (Outlaw Josey Wales, Gran Torino, Million Dollar Baby) some discussion about belief in God or not. They also make the acquaintance of a widow who runs a local café. She is friendly, bringing them breakfast to the shrine, inviting them to stay with her. Mike making the acquaintance of her granddaughters, one of them deaf-mute, and Mike having sign language as one of the things he is picked up along the way.

And another reason for staying in the town is that a horse owner has some wild horses that need training and Mike steps in. Rafo does not how to ride which would be important as he returns to his ranch-owning father. So, riding sequences – and then a twist because the townspeople note how Mike has a way with animals and bring quite a variety of them for him to touch and heal.

Thugs, on the road again, a car chase, the border.

On the final drive, talking about macho attitudes, Clint delivers a speech, touch of the homily, regrets concerning macho attitudes, downplaying them, declaring that they are overrated. At age 90, and having mellowed in the last two decades, he is entitled to Decry Macho!

While we are delayed with Mike and Rafo in the town, and we get to know Marta, the owner of the cafe, and begin to like her, sodas Mike – and the film ends with a nice, genteel, affectionate dancing couple. Yes, by this time, Clint is entitled.

1. The title and tone? The rooster called Macho? Mike’s final speech at the end about macho being overrated?
2. The Texas settings? Ranchers, horses, rodeos? The Mexican settings, Mexico City, the slums, affluent dimensions, cockfights, the countryside, the towns, the shrine, the cafe, borders? The musical score? The songs and themes?
3. Mike Milo’s story? Clint Eastwood at 90, a bit stooped, sometimes shuffling, driving the car, riding the horse…? The opening, 1979, age, the broken back, recovery, his being let go? His attitude towards Howard, Howard being rude? The year later, summoned by Howard, the mission to get his son back? The later revelations of the motivation, Howard wanting his son, yet the financial situation and the conflict with his ex-wife? Telling Milo later over the phone?
4. Mike Milo, horseman, rodeo champion, skills with animals, the headlines and papers, trophies, the flashback to his injury?
5. The commission, driving to Mexico, the girls at the border and the flirting guard, his going through? Going to visit Leta? Her taunts, attitudes, reaction to her son, the men around her? Affluence? Dismissing Mike? His later being picked up by her men, her advances, is rejection? Her sending her men after them?
6. Mike going to the cockfights, seeing Rafo, with his cock, called Macho, the police arrival, Rafo hiding, Mike finding him? Suspicions, the talk, Mike’s proposition, Rafo considering it, the clashes with his mother, living out on the streets, his father’s rejection, yet the dream of the ranch and a future, the photo? Resistance and running?
7. Mike going to his car, Rafo sleeping, Macho with him? The deal? Escaping the city, the thugs in pursuit, the confrontation, the gun, distraction, Mike stranding the thug?
8. The crash, the loss of the car, taking the thug’s car?
9. At the village, the shrine, Rafo and the Catholic background, the discussion about belief in God or not? Rafo thinking it inappropriate to sleep in the shrine? Going to the cafe, Marta and her welcome, her granddaughters, the girl behind the counter, the meals, her bringing the breakfast to the church, inviting them to stay with her? Mike and the attraction, Marta is a widow, kind and friendly? Rafo and his friendship with the girls? Mike knowing sign language?
10. The horses, Mike and his advice, the owner and the training, Mike and his rodeo background, with the horses, teaching Rafo to ride, his skills, getting the money?
11. Mike and his reputation with the horses, animals, the townspeople bringing all kinds of animals, his shrewdness, the sheriff and his wife, the old dog and advising to let it sleep on the bed? The sheriff and his initial suspicions, later warding off the thugs?
12. Finding cars, taking them, the quick departure, the farewell to Marta?
13. On the road, the police pursuit, holding them up, the revelation that it was a drugs search? Letting them go? The final confrontation with the thug? Macho and the attack and their escape?
14. Rafo, Mike telling the truth about his father, Rafo and trusting, thinking they were liars, Mike making him make a decision? On being a man, and the speech about regretting macho attitudes, their being overrated?
15. At the border, the farewell, his father? Mike returning to the village, to Marta, the final image of them dancing?
16. Clint Eastwood at 90, the familiar themes, mellow, kindly, helpfully helping, critical of macho attitudes, and love and romance?