Another year, another film from Clint Eastwood. His latest, Cry Macho, just released in theaters and on streaming, and the 91-year-old directs and stars in the movie, still bringing a firm amount of energy to his work. While the movie has received mixed reviews, critics do seem to be marveling at the craftsmanship that Eastwood can still put into his films. With the Hollywood veteran still working at such a high capacity. You might be tempted to ask, 'Why the "hell" is he still working in his 90s? Well, he has a pretty good answer.
Clint Eastwood recently took some time discuss Cry Macho and his storied career. The interview is filled with interesting tidbits, including the number of times Eastwood had to throw punches while making his latest feature. He shared thoughts on why he keeps doing what he’s doing, and he has an interesting take that is uniquely him. He told the The Los Angeles Times:
What the hell am I still working for in my 90s? Are people going to start throwing tomatoes at you? I’ve gotten to the point where I wondered if that was enough, but not to the point where I decided it was. If you roll out a few turkeys, they’ll tell you soon enough.
It would seem that Clint Eastwood hasn't seen any indication as to why he should stop working. He seems to believe that audiences will eventually tell him when they've had their fill. Given how much respect he's earned, it's likely that audiences will never completely dismiss an Eastwood film. So one would assume that he'll keep going as long as he can.
Though Clint Eastwood is a great actor, he's certainly become a talented and eclectic filmmaker. Matt Damon, who's collaborated with him, has spoken about Eastwood’s love of doing only one take for scenes. I think this would explain how he's able to make so many movies at such a high clip. He knows what he wants, films quickly, then he’s on to the next thing. Of course, at the end of the day, he still wants to act as well, and he seems to relish his more recent roles. Clint Eastwood goes on to say:
I don’t look like I did at 20, so what? That just means there are more interesting guys you can play.
Movies like Gran Torino and The Mule are only a few examples of how Clint Eastwood has switched things up in his later years. He's had a fascinating career as both an actor and director, carving out a massive legacy for himself in the process, and his continued presence is merely a byproduct of his impact.
Cry Macho is worth checking out, and it has an interesting cast of stars that you've probably seen before. It's a testament to what Clint Eastwood can still do as an artist, and it'll be interesting to see what challenges he takes on next.
Cry Macho is now playing in theaters or, if you can't make it out to one, you can stream the film on HBO Max.
