by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
How does Clint Eastwood do it? At a spry 91 years young, he is strolling along as he directs, produces, and acts his way through whatever project he wants. Still the most efficient and economical director around, Warner Bros. always enjoys sending audiences a new Clint effort, and he is more than happy to get it done ASAP. Who can say no to under-budget and ahead of schedule? It is a treat to see what story Clint wants to tell next, even if his films of late have not been some of his best.
But what brought Eastwood to the story of Cry Macho? There are plenty of elements in the film that just scream “this was written for Clint Eastwood.” There is no surprise that he has been sitting on this story for decades. Eastwood’s long-awaited return to the western genre is a neo-western set in the ’70s featuring a former rodeo star. That sounds quite like an Eastwood story to me. Mike Milo is roped into a mission by his former employer to bring his estranged son to Texas for him. But will they be able to make it safe to the border when being pursued by the men that work for the boy’s mother? Sounds like a tension-filled narrative to me. But what is most surprising (unless you saw The Mule) is that Eastwood takes things with a much more laid-back approach… for better or worse.
Even with a relaxed approach to telling the story, is this “thriller” an engaging story? Nick Schnek’s script veers away from sustained tension and instead focuses the most time on character moments. Consistently, when a tense or suspenseful moment finds its way into the film, they are conveniently wrapped up so that the audience can move along to something more enjoyable and fun. Most of the film focuses on Milo and his young companion’s stay in a small Mexican town. There are plenty of sweet and romantic moments for Milo and his new flame named Marta. Did you expect a love story to make up a large chunk of this film? I did not, but it was done nicely. For a film that is around 105 minutes, it spends plenty of time on quieter moments and skims over any tension.
The film is certainly an enjoyable romp, but is it a return to form for Eastwood? There are some glaring issues as a film if you want to dig that deeply. In general, a few of the actors struggle with some stiff acting while trying to deliver awkward dialogue. There are moments that are too methodical and then there are scenes that feel like they are rushed and anticlimactic. Some scenes are awkward, including a scene where Eastwood is propositioned by a woman 50 years younger than him. Eastwood’s “one or two takes and done” approach shows at times where they probably should have done some line readings again.
But in the grand scheme of things, how much do all of those flaws matter when it comes to enjoying the film? Most will be able to get by them and just enjoy this light and airy ride. Could the film have been done in a heavier and deeper way? Yeah, but the themes of avoiding macho pitfalls are still valuable. This was a fun time, which I got to enjoy with my mom (a lifelong fan of Clint’s). If you want to enjoy a good old-fashioned film with a world class movie star, give Cry Macho a chance.
Grade: B-