Cry Macho(2021)

Plot Summary

• By 1979, Texan rodeo star Mike Milo (Clint Eastwood) has retired due to a severe back injury. The following year, his former boss Howard Polk (Dwight Yoakam) hires him to travel to Mexico City and bring back Howard's 13-year-old son, Rafo (Eduardo Minett). Howard says Rafo is living with his mother, who is letting him be abused by the people around her. He wants Mile to convince Rafo to come back with him, to his dad. Howard cannot enter Mexico himself due to legal issues. Mike agrees when Howard reminds him that he supported Mike through his tough years when everybody advised him to let Mike go, but he didn't.He agrees and upon entering Mexico, he meets the boy's mother, Leta (Fernanda Urrejola) (who is rich and lives in a large mansion), who tells him that Rafo has turned to a life of crime, participating in cockfights with a rooster named Macho. She tells Mike to leave as Rafo is beyond anyone now. Soon after, Mike finds Rafo participating in a cockfight that is interrupted by a police raid. After the police depart, Mike tells Rafo that his father wants to see him. Intrigued that Mike is a cowboy (Rafo loved the Ranch life ever since he was a little boy. Mike tells him Howard has hundreds of horses and that he is a big boss), Rafo agrees to go with Mike back to Texas and leaves to pack his stuff.Mike goes back to Leta's mansion to collect Rafo. A drunk Leta tells Mike that she wants her son to stay in Mexico (she calls Rafo her property) and threatens him to leave Mexico in 5 minutes. After Mike leaves, Leta orders several of her henchmen to follow him. Driving back to Texas alone, Mike discovers that Rafo has sneaked into his truck with Macho. Mike tells Rafo to get out the truck, but he threatens to inform the police that Mike is travelling in a stolen truck and that he tried to sexually assault him. When Rafo steals his wallet and shares his desire to spend time with his father, Mike agrees to drive him to the border. During the drive there, the pair share stories about their lives, including how Leta's henchmen used to abuse Rafo (Leta brings strange men home every day. Aurelio brings her drugs and one-time Rafo spit on him and got beaten up. That is why Rafo ventured out of the house in the first place and became a criminal) and discuss the meaning of being "macho."At a restaurant, Mike phones Howard and tells him that he has found Rafo. Outside of the restaurant, one of Leta's henchmen, Aurelio (Horacio Garcia Rojas), tries to forcefully take Rafo and tells the locals that Mike has kidnapped him. Rafo yells out that Aurelio is a molester and they beat him up. After Mike and Rafo leave, they have Mike's is truck stolen by thieves. Walking to the next town Mike buys new clothes to fit in better and Rafo "borrows" an abandoned car to use. At a cantina (while hiding from the Federal police), they meet the owner, Marta (Natalia Traven), who helps them evade police officers searching for them. They hit the road only to turn around after passing through one of the many police checkpoints along the highway. Returning to the town during a rain-storm, they seek shelter in a shrine. Mike tells Rafo that he lost his wife and children in a car accident.Recognizing the car, Marta finds them and brings them breakfast. Rafo discovers their car has a leak and Mike tells him they have to stay put for now. After coming across a ranch, Mike offers his services in helping break the wild horses, in the process teaching Rafo how to ride a horse and demonstrating his love for animals. The pair return to Marta's cafe and begin spending time with her family. On a phone call with Mike, Howard expresses his concern that Mike has been in Mexico for two weeks, longer than expected. Mike also learns that Howard wants Rafo with him, so that he can press Leta to return the money that Howard invested in her name back when they were together. Mike is angry that Howard played him. Rafo says that Marta likes Mike. When Aurelio and police officers show up asking for Mike and Rafo, the two sneak away, running into Marta and saying a brief goodbye. They find a new car and start their final drive to the border.On the highway once again, Mike notices a patrol car following them and turns off suddenly to lose the tail. Mike reveals that Howard told him over the phone that he wants to see Rafo simply to battle Leta in court for her money. An angry Rafo tries to leave but the police pull up and search their vehicle for drugs. When they find nothing, the police officers leave, and the pair continues their journey. While driving, Mike tells Rafo that being "macho" is overrated and encourages him to make his own decisions in life. Rafo says he still wants to be with his father. Aurelio then finds them, runs them off the road, and holds them at gunpoint. However, Macho jumps at him enabling Mike to grab his gun. They then use Aurelio's car to make it to the border. As a final goodbye, Rafo gives Macho to Mike before reuniting with his father. Mike remains on the Mexican side of the border and returns to Marta.

Storyline

• Based on the book, "Cry Macho" stars Clint Eastwood as a one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder who, in 1978, takes a job from an ex-boss to bring the man's young son home and away from his alcoholic mom. Crossing rural Mexico on their way back to Texas, the unlikely pair faces an unexpectedly challenging journey, during which the world-weary horseman may find his own sense of redemption through teaching the boy what it means to be a good man. — Warner Bros. With his glory days as a rodeo star now far behind him, defeated horse breeder Mike Milo finds himself entrusted with a mission a priori impossible: to bring his boss's troubled teenage son Rafo back home from Mexico City. However, on their long journey back to Texas, Mike and Rafo are not alone--the unlikely team will have to face the dangerous Mexican underworld and corrupt police officers. But above all else, Milo must confront his past. Is this Milo's last chance at redemption? — Nick Riganas A retired former rodeo star agrees to do a favour for a friend. He heads to Mexico to bring back his friend's son who lives with his ex-wife. Easier said than done as the boy has a wild streak and the ex-wife is the vindictive sort with a bunch of hoodlums to enforce her wishes. — grantss