Cry Macho

Bei Cry Macho war ich hin- und hergerissen. Clint Eastwood verdient definitiv Bewunderung dafür, dass er auch in so fortgeschrittenem Alter (und während einer weltweiten Pandemie) vor und hinter der Kamera steht und dabei keinen Funken seines männlichen Charmes verliert. Außerdem hat dieser Film einen sehr herzlichen Ton und viele herzerwärmende Momente. Aber um ehrlich zu sein, muss man eingestehen, dass es sich dabei auch um wirklich schwache Filmemacherei mit einem unglaublich dürftigen Drehbuch, extrem hölzernen Dialogen und keinerlei Handlungsprogression handelt. Erst beim Abspann wird einem bewusst, dass das Wenige, was in den letzten Minuten passiert ist, eigentlich die Katharsis des gesamten Dramas hätte sein sollen. Leider war es wirklich nichts Besonderes und von einem so großen Regisseur eine Enttäuschung - hoffentlich wird Eastwood mit seinem nächsten Film wieder aufsteigen. (21.09.2021)

This seems rather underestimated by others. OK, it has a rather average story and a weird beginning, but then Clint takes things into hand and contemplates about getting old and passing on wisdom to the younger generation. Not such a wow as Grand Torino, but still way above the competition. This old man, oozing with charisma, teaches a kid to ride a horse, pulls a cute housewife and knows how to fight too. In fact, I like this more than I expected. Loser cops... Stupid bastards. If they had a brain, they’d be dangerous. (30.10.2021)

Clint Eastwood embarks on a journey to Mexico to find his boss's son and bring him to America. The cocky teenager and the old curmudgeon don't get along, but on the way home they find they can learn a lot from each other. This time, Hollywood classic Eastwood made a very slow drama that relies on his charisma and nothing else. And unfortunately, it's not enough. Clint is still the man, but unfortunately the unoriginal and predictable plot trip him up. A mediocre and unremarkable film that you can do without and that Eastwood's filmography could do without. (22.09.2021)

Clint Eastwood's acting grand finale was undoubtedly Gran Torino. I take all his roles that came after that as an epilogue – a respectable epilogue of a guy who's only doing it for fun, for the love of film, because he just wants to. So I can't be surprised that he wanted to star once more, and in Cry Macho, a modern romantic western with a strongly naive plot that I think deliberately recalls Eastwood's first TV roles. No, it's certainly not a groundbreaking role, and the sight of a 90-year-old veteran is moving, whether that's the intention or not, but it was definitely worth watching. And then, of course, there's the other side of things, which is that Eastwood also directed. And directorially, Cry Macho stands up without turning a blind eye. (19.02.2022)