Cry Macho is a film with an old soul. Clearly, having Clint Eastwood (a 91 year old man) as both the protagonist and director contributes to that, but there is more to it. Everything about this production is slow and mellow, never getting too intense. The story is straightforward, small, and predictable. The editing is calm. The acting is gentle. Honestly, many viewers will find Cry Macho boring and they will have good reason. However, that doesn't make the movie bad.

In fact, Cry Macho is proficient from a technical perspective. Although it is rather passive, that is its goal. The story is of a tired, old cowboy who is somewhat defeated by life. It is fitting that the film would embody these resigned feelings. Add in apt themes addressing toxic masculinity and the result is concrete messaging. It's conventional and understated, but this film has its merits. Therefore, even though Cry Macho is certainly not a movie with wide appeal, it should be generally respected.

Writing: 6/10 Direction: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Acting: 7/10 Editing: 8/10 Sound: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack: 7/10 Production Design: 8/10 Casting: 7/10 Effects: 6/10

Overall Score: 7.0/10.

Mike, an ageing ranchhand and onetime rodeo whiz (retired through grievous injury) is tasked by ex-boss Howard to go to Mexico and retrieve his teenage son Rafo from his mother and bring him back to Texas: the boy has fallen into dodgy ways. Mike falls foul of Rafo's mother, but retrieves the lad, and the two embark upon a road trip. And then events conspire to delay them.

What a strange film for Clint Eastwood, looking and sounding every one of his 90 years, to direct and star in. There is a LOT wrong with this movie. Let's start with two hot, if mature, women giving this old bloke the glad eye. Admittedly, Clint still oozes charisma, but even so, there is a distinct feeling of an old man's wish fulfilment. The jeopardy set up by the situation never really pays off, and the multiple problems the travellers encounter are usually solved by "and with one jump they were free." The other bit of the setup, Mike's and Howard's backstory, never goes anywhere. Macho the rooster does get a payoff, but is then more or less cast aside as the main payoff - Rafo's reunion with his father in the light of what he has discovered during the jorney - is offhandedly dismissed. And there is a huge second act which comes out of nowhere and turns out to be the main story.

And yet it is a likeable film, and I smiled most of the way through. It is perhaps of Eastwood's skill as actor and director that I came very close to accepting this frankly unbelievable tosh.

You have to be a die hard fan of Clint Eastwood, very very die hard buff of this icon of the movie industry to really appreciate this film where there is no surprise at all, unless you have never seen a movie with Eastwood as an actor. The directing and acting, of course, as usual with him, are flawless, I would say awesome, but sooo predictable. You can also see it as a kind of testament feature, as if he knew that it would be his last performance, at the age of 91. A kind of summary of his life and career. Some poignant moments between him and the young boy, no one could deny it. But for me it remains a film with, for and only about Eastwood. I will never say it's a bad film, no, but that's exactly what I was afraid of. Because I have never liked this actor, nearly always the same kinds of characters; ALWAYS. But he is a legend, a myth of the movie history. And an awesome director too, gifted, sensitive, unique.