“Cry Macho” is 91-year-old Clint Eastwood’s latest acting and directorial venture. The movie follows Eastwood’s character Mike Milo, a rodeo veteran, as he travels from Texas to Mexico City to retrieve a young boy: a favor for Milo’s old boss (Dwight Yoakam) who wants to see his son again. As Milo and the boy, Rafo (Eduardo Minett), travel back up to Texas, their journey is not an easy one. they encounter all sorts of obstacles, such as run-ins with local police and Rafo’s mother’s lackeys, as they attempt to drag him back to Mexico City. During their journey, Milo teaches Rafo what being macho truly means, as they try to make their way to the border.

Going into this movie, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I’m usually not a fan of Westerns and their slower pace but “Cry Macho” is a well-constructed and enjoyable film. While it doesn’t move at the quickest pace, it does give the movie more time to flesh out its characters. Despite his age, Eastwood is still able to deliver a good performance, and his younger co-star Minett also brings an award-worthy performance. 

However, I do feel like the dialogue feels a little forced while Eastwood and Minett are discussing the qualities of a ‘macho’ man. The only other minor issue I have is that the climax of the movie was more funny than suspenseful, and the ending just felt a little goofy.

“Cry Macho” isn’t going to break any barriers, but it’s an enjoyable watch and a nice story. Overall, I’d give “Cry Macho” a 3.5/5 stars: nothing amazing but decent enough. I’d recommend this movie to someone who’s looking for something that’s more character-driven than action-packed and who wants to enjoy a story of a veteran teaching the next generation.