Cry Macho - Clint Eastwood's Western Swan Song (Again)

Cry Macho sits in a very interesting place in the Eastwood filmography. It is the first western* that Clint Eastwood has made in almost 30 years, it is a film that Eastwood could have made in 1988 but chose not to, and it could very well be the last film that Clint Eastwood makes. The mere fact that this man is 91 years old and still acting, directing, and producing his own films makes this one worth watching, if for that fact alone. Luckily, the film provides an enjoyable experience beyond the initial novelty.

The beginning is a little rocky, with a lot of ham-fisted and clunky expository dialogue, but after the first 30 minutes or so it finds a good rhythm. The story is well told, with a fine performance by Eastwood, while the rest of the cast gives performances that are unremarkable at best, the score is very atmospheric & enjoyable, and the feel of the movie is overall very uplifting and heartwarming.

Even though the films were made nearly 30 years apart, this film feels intrinsically tied to Unforgiven in all the right ways. Both are western tales about aging men (played by Clint Eastwood) working with a younger man to wrestle with own demons and show the young man why he shouldn't follow the same path. The real divide is in tone. Unforgiven is dark, violent, sadistic, and bleak, while Cry Macho is quiet, soft, tender, and even wholesome. The latter still retains the sense of grit and realism that has defined much of Eastwood's work, while not compromising the feel-good nature of the story.

Cry Macho obviously can't stand up to the quality of Eastwood's masterpiece's, like Unforgiven or The Outlaw Josey Wales, but it is a worthwhile watch, nonetheless. It is a flawed film, yet it is definitely worth your time. If this does end up being Clint Eastwood's last film, it will be a gentle and pleasant way for him to end a truly magnificent filmography.

*The film is not explicitly a western, but contains plenty of western elements, and could be considered a Neo-Western.