*DISCLAIMER* There are spoilers of the movie in this post.
Recommendation
I’d give this movie a solid 7/10! It’s really enjoyable, and I loved the story. The way Joe Mainright was willing to risk his life to help raise money for his grandson was truly touching. The film had such a heartfelt message about faith. While it wasn’t the main focus throughout, it was beautifully sprinkled in until the end, where it really stood out.
That said, I did find Joe Mainright a bit annoying at times. His acting wasn’t bad, but the character could be a little grating. I also felt that the plane scene was a bit rushed. At one moment, Joe and Charlie are in the plane, flying through dark clouds and worried about making it to the re-ride, and then – poof! – they’re walking into the rodeo building in the next scene. It felt a bit abrupt. And I noticed that the graphics looked a little low-budget. Overall, though, it’s a good watch!
Movie Review
- Cancer
In the movie, one of the main plot lines revolves around Cody, played by Graham Harvey, and his cancer diagnosis. We see him playing baseball, and during one game, a ball accidentally hits him in the back of the head. Although he initially seems fine, he later faints and vomits after a horse ride. At first, it appears that his symptoms are due to the baseball incident, but the doctor reveals that he has a tumor in his brain.
Cody’s mother, Sally, portrayed by Sarah Jones, is understandably distraught, especially since their medical insurance only covers 40% of the surgery. I really enjoyed Sarah’s performance as Sally; she portrayed the character beautifully. Sally and Joe, Cody’s father, struggle to figure out how to finance the surgery.
One day, Joe discovers a bull riding tournament taking place that weekend, which offers a grand prize of USD 750,000. He decides to enter the tournament, keeping his true reasons for participating a secret until Cody needs a second surgery. However, word gets out, and that’s when the themes of community and prayer come into play in the film. Ultimately, Cody’s surgeries are successful, and he is cancer-free by the end of the story. The movie delivers a heartwarming message.
- Bull-riding
Bull Riding – This is the second plotline. Joe teams up with his friend Charlie to be his rodeo partner. They need to convince the rodeo owner, who has a long history with them, to allow them to compete. The owner is the only actor I recognized from the cast. They reminisce about the old times, and eventually, he agrees to let Joe and Charlie participate in the rodeo.
There are a couple of real-life pro bull riders in the film, including Daylon Swearingen as Billy Hamilton and Ezekiel Mitchell. I thought the rodeo added a solid dramatic element, and the bull riding scenes were exciting. Most of the tension in the story revolves around whether Joe and Charlie will be cleared by the medical team to compete.joe convincing Charlie ( a friend he has) to be his rodeo partner. Then they had to convince the Rodeo owner to allow him to competed which they had a long history with. Which by the way the owner is the only actor I recognized. They talked about the old times and eventually he agrees to let Joe and Charlie in the Rodeo. There are a couple of real-life pro bull-riders, Daylon Swearingen as Billy Hamilton and Ezekiel Mitchell. I thought the rodeo had a good drama. The bull-riding was cool. Most of the drama was whether Joe and Charlie were going to be cleared by medical.
- Religion
Christianity was woven throughout the movie. Initially, it was subtle, with Charlie mentioning his faith. However, it became more evident towards the end when the bull riding audience began to pray. At that moment, I realized that Christianity played a significant role in the film. This understanding clarified the emotional depth and direction of the movie.and then towards the end when the Bull Riding audience began to pray that’s when I realized that Christianity is a part of the film. Then it made sense why the movie was moving along the way it was.
THE END
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