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.
For in-depth thoughts on Cry Macho, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Cry Macho comes to Blu-Ray with a stunning 1080p transfer which comes from a 2K source. The film leans toward the muted side of the spectrum which matches the largely desolate landscapes that populate the film. The color palette is fairly neutral throughout most of the film, but there are the occasional pops of color, such as certain elements of the production design. Black levels hold up well with no glaring instances of black crush present. Digital noise and banding present as only a very minor issue with this release. The amount of distinct clarity and detail present on this Blu-Ray is truly something to behold. Subtle details on faces are amazingly clear and fine texture such as facial hair holds up surprisingly well both in close-ups and long shots. This is a great presentation for a very visually polished film. The film is also available on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, but that was not made available for review at this time.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is extremely capable, and it never fails to deliver something perfect for the material. The soundscape on display here is very rich with a nuanced design from the varied settings. This film is mostly dialogue-driven with conversations driving the narrative, but there are moments where certain kinetic sequences arise to provide a boost to the proceedings. The score fills the room quite well without being too overwhelming to the competing elements. Dialogue comes through crystal clear with none of the information feeling lost to the music in the film or the sound effects. All of the effects have a nice sense of direction within the mix with noises such as weather effects and background chatter. The movie uses environmental sounds to great effect, and the track retains strong detail even in the more chaotic developments. The track is a great representation of the film.
Special Features
- Back In The Saddle – The Making Of Cry Macho: A light 12-minute featurette in which the cast and crew discuss the development of the film, casting the various characters, the process of shooting on location, the themes, and more that briefly shine a light on the production.
- Macho And The Mustangs: A seven-minute piece which delves a bit into the love Eastwood has of animals, the place of horse riding in this film, how the actor prepared to get back on the saddle, the process of shooting these sequences and more.
Final Thoughts
If Cry Macho does end up being the directorial or acting swan song for Clint Eastwood, there are worse films to leave off on. The film has some laughable, awkward moments, but if you understand this is more of sentimental play rather than awards bait then you can enjoy the heartfelt moments at face value. The performances are pretty strong and they sell the emotion better than you may expect. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a sturdy A/V presentation and a couple of brief special features. This one is best suited for established fans of Clint Eastwood.
Cry Macho is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
