Where Was “Cry Macho” Filmed?

Watched the film and are now wondering: where was “Cry Macho” filmed? Then you’ve come to the right place! We’re going to join Clint Eastwood on his tour through Mexico as we discover some of the most iconic filming locations from the movie.

While you’re here, stick around until the end, where we share how easy it is to find your own “Cry Macho”-inspired filming locations on Peerspace. Any aspiring creative or filmmaker will want to find that out, so make sure you check that out. Grab your favorite chicken and hop in the passenger seat – we’re joining Clint Eastwood on his latest ride!

What is “Cry Macho”?

A legend both on the big screen and in the director’s chair, Clint Eastwood has given audiences a lot to love throughout his career that has spanned over half a century now. “Cry Macho,” was released in 2021 and had him in the director’s chair once again. This time around, Eastwood plays an aging rodeo star who is traveling to Mexico to retrieve his boss’ son.

Based on a novel of the same name by N. Richard Nash, the movie was not as well received as some of Eastwood’s other films, but still gives us a lot to love. One of the things that stands out is the beautiful and sometimes desolate scenery that the characters see during their travels. It’s easy to find yourself watching the movie and asking the question: where was “Cry Macho” filmed? And that’s precisely what we answer ahead.

Love all of Clint’s classic movies? Then discover where he filmed “Joe Kidd” next!

Did they film “Cry Macho” on location in Mexico?

Most of the movie takes place in Texas and Mexico, with Eastwood’s Mike Milo heading to Mexico City to retrieve Rafo. To the untrained eye, it would be easy to assume that it was filmed on location. But according to IMDB, they filmed entirely in New Mexico.

A far cry from Hollywood, New Mexico has a deep history of film production. It has been an attractive location for countless movies and television shows. This even includes some of Eastwood’s classics like “Hang Em’ High” and “Every Which Way But Loose.”

The New Mexico Museum of Art reports that Thomas Edison shot the first film in the American West in Albuquerque. Since then, the state has only developed its film industry further. In fact, it has now become one of the major shooting hubs in the United States because of its varied landscapes and tax credits. New Mexico’s arid deserts and landscapes. It has been a popular setting for many Westerns and some of television’s biggest shows like “Breaking Bad.”

With all of that in mind, it’s no wonder that Clint Eastwood would return to New Mexico for “Cry Macho.” The area served as a perfect recreation of Mexico and had the gorgeous landscapes needed to capture the road trip scenes.

In an interview with the Albuquerque Journal, the film’s cinematographer had this to say about the decision to film in New Mexico. “It’s a road movie and a locations movie, so it becomes about what those locations are, they dictate the look and the amount of control you have is defined by where you’re shooting. You develop a visual style based on that and it speaks for itself, in a way.”

Notable New Mexico “Cry Macho” filming locations

Now we that they filmed know the movie in New Mexico. Next, we can get to properly answering the question: where was “Cry Macho” filmed?

According to The Cinemaholic, a majority of the filming was in the sparsely populated Socorro County. One of the filming locations here was in the census-designated place, Polvadera. For those who are unfamiliar, a census-designated place is an area that typically has a very low population and no local government.

For the purposes of filming “Cry Macho,” this made for a perfect spot to shoot some of the scenes where the characters are traveling through empty land.

When the production needed some more populated areas, they filmed in the city of Belen. The second biggest city in Socorro County, Belen has been a regular spot for many different film productions. IMDB reports that some of the other movies shot here include the 2016 McDonald’s biopic “The Founder” and the 2013 action-comedy “The Last Stand.”

The small city has a population of approximately 7,500, which made it easy for the production to shut down parts of Main Street during filming.

Love road trip movies filmed in New Mexico? Then you need to check out all of the filming locations for “Finch,” too!

Where did they film the restaurant in “Cry Macho”?

One of the locations that the characters stop at in their travels is the restaurant Café Gallo Rojo de Rodrigo. The charming restaurant is a short respite for the characters as they get to know each other.

This is one of the few physical locations that stands out from the movie and begs the question: where was “Cry Macho” filmed? According to Fan Trippers, this is actually a restaurant in Belen called Montaño’s. It was renamed for the movie and dressed up to keep with the rooster theme.

The restaurant is popular with locals and serves up delicious local cuisine. Anybody doing their own tour of New Mexico should certainly make this a stop.

Find your own “Cry Macho”-inspired filming location

Now that you’ve seen the same sights that Clint Eastwood saw during the events of the movie. So we hope you’re feeling ready to go out there and make your own creative project inspired by “Cry Macho”. Whatever kind of filming you do, you already know that finding quality filming locations and production studios can be a chore.

Thankfully, you have Peerspace to take away the frustration of location scouting. Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for filming locations and production studio rentals. With thousands of locations all over the globe to choose from, you’re sure to find something that fits your needs.

Take, for example, this tropical-style cantina in Austin, Texas. If you check out some of the high-quality images posted by the host, you can see how this location would fit right at home in “Cry Macho”. You can almost imagine Mike Milo sitting at the bar enjoying a tequila. This is just scratching the surface of what Peerspace has to offer. Check them out for yourself and find your next great filming location!

Find unique filming locations on Peerspace