(Spoilers!)
Even though it may be a slightly unpopular opinion, I really enjoyed Midnight Cowboy and I think it's strengths definitely outweigh its weaknesses. The film is fundamentally about the characters and their friendship, which was portrayed really beautifully by the actors (Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman) as well as the film itself. This movie would absolutely not be made now; the looser plot and slightly gimmicky special effects (that I thought were actually really cool sometimes) is not what we are used to anymore, but I really appreciated it. One of my favorite parts of the film was the aesthetics to be honest, which may just be because it's set in late '60s NYC, but as someone who is fascinated by that gritty, authentic image of the city, I loved it.
One specific thing that I enjoyed and found very impressive for a movie of the time period was how it dealt with homosexuality. It's not a film about sexuality yet it plays with those themes and even suggests a bit about the protagonists without that being the focus.
The ending was a little confusing but incredibly heart wrenching. I almost cried. I'm not sure if I completely understand it but Ratso's journey comes to an end and the friendship we watched blossom dies (literally in Joe's arms). Despite the death being super sad I appreciate the symmetry of the film: It begins and ends with Joe alone on a bus just having lost someone he loved, with the same song playing in the background.
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