In 1979, Mike Milo (Clint Eastwood), a one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder, takes a job from an ex-boss (Dwight Yoakam) to bring the man’s young son (Eduardo Minett) home from Mexico. Forced to take the backroads on their way to Texas, the unlikely pair faces an unexpectedly challenging journey, during which the world-weary horseman finds unexpected connections and his own sense of redemption.
At 91, Clint Eastwood still has a few movies left in him. In his most recent outing, he directs “Cry Macho,” a story about Mike Milo, a former rodeo star who has lost his way more than once. Milo owes rancher and rodeo boss Howard Polk (Dwight Yoakam) after the death of his wife and child, leaving the old man aimlessly wandering the wilderness. Polk calls in the favor by asking Milo to drive into Mexico City and bring his son Rafo (Eduardo Minett) back to the U.S. after a separation of nearly ten years.
Rafo lives with his mother, Leta (Fernanda Urrejola) off and on when he’s not roaming the streets and entering his rooster in cockfights. The rooster’s name is Macho, hence the reference to the film’s title. More than a couple of jokes about the rooster’s name are dished out at Rafo’s expense.
When Leta learns why Milo has come to Mexico, she does not take kindly to his motivations. Put off by Leta’s threats, Milo decides to return home without Rafo. However, on the drive back, Rafo turns up in the back seat of Milo’s truck, and the two find themselves stuck with each other.
On the return trip, Milo and Rafo stumble upon a small town where they can rest and take stock. They meet Marta (Natalia Traven) who owns a popular local restaurant. As Milo and Rafo settle in for a day or two, Marta graciously and unexpectedly offers the two a place to stay for as long as they like.
Milo forms a bond with Marta’s three granddaughters, reinforcing his doubts about returning to his old life, now largely devoid of meaning. As a lifelong animal lover, Milo becomes the town’s de facto veterinarian, despite having no formal training. Word spreads and his popularity among the locals steadily grows.
Polk becomes increasingly frantic at Milo and Rafo’s delay crossing back into the states. In the course of testy phone conversations, Polk eventually reveals his true motivations for retrieving Rafo. It seems that the ranch in Mexico City is in Leta’s name for tax purposes. In order to secure his half, Polk intends to use Rafo as leverage over Leta, with the boy’s ultimate welfare as a secondary concern.
Screenplay by Nick Schenk based on the novel by N. Richard Nash, the film moves slowly through the early scenes, but it’s still fun to watch Eastwood and Yoakam trade barbs like an old married couple. Casually told and deliberately paced, this is not an action movie. Rather, “Cry Macho” relies upon the greater part on picturesque landscapes featuring the burnt orange evening sun, as well as some moving character development, often requiring the audience to read between the lines. The backstory emerges slowly, with just enough periodic hints to fill in the gaps suitably well. This may not be Eastwood’s best, but it’s still a satisfying tale of loss and redemption along the scenic Mexican interior.
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