The Last Rodeo

by Mike McGranaghan

You need to be a little bit crazy to ride a bull. The Last Rodeo holds that idea at its center, allowing a by-the-numbers story to keep you hooked. The whole point of the film is that a guy who knows better decides to get back on a bull because his craziness is the only way to solve a serious problem. This is technically a faith-based movie, and while it will undoubtedly satisfy the target audience, the fun of watching a determined man do something really stupid for all the right reasons gives it broader appeal, as well.

Joe Wainwright (Neal McDonough) is a former bull riding champ whose career ended after a devastating injury. His beloved grandson Cody (Graham Harvey) develops a brain tumor, and the cost of surgery is out of range for mother Sally (Sarah Jones). In the kind of good fortune that routinely falls upon movie characters, Joe is invited to take part in an upcoming rodeo competition with a huge cash prize – more than enough to pay for Cody’s surgery, in fact. Against Sally’s wishes, Joe calls up his old friend, trainer Charlie Williams (Mykelti Williamson), and starts prepping to get back into the ring.

You will not be surprised to learn that the competition’s organizer, Jimmy Mack (Christopher McDonald), is a smarmy guy who owes Joe a favor. Or that there’s a cocky young rider named Billy Hamilton (Daylon Ray Swearingen) who isn’t the least bit shy about mocking Joe. For good measure, there’s even an arc about how Joe gave up on God after the death of his wife, a position Charlie urges him to reconsider.

The Last Rodeo adheres to the same general template that has driven everything from Rocky to Invincible to last year’s You Gotta Believe. There isn’t a single deviation from that template. Director Jon Avnet (Fried Green Tomatoes) compensates for the predicable plot by giving us a fairly detailed look at competitive rodeo. Scenes show how Joe psyches himself up before a ride, the specific way he wraps the rope around his hand to achieve the tightest grip, and how he handles backstage tensions. Plunging us into this world helps us more easily overlook the tropes.

Neal McDonough, who also co-wrote the screenplay, is the perfect choice to portray Joe. The actor brings an appealing mixture of sincerity, spunk, and wit. He’s even willing to poke a little fun at himself, playing up the awkwardness of being the “old guy” in a sport full of youngsters. Williamson and McDonald add to the story’s impact with their clever characterization. The former plays Charlie as a wounded, no-nonsense type, while the latter makes Jimmy convincingly compassionate underneath his glitzy exterior.

Movies like The Last Rodeo always depend on the outcome of the Big Event. Only two options exist. By and large, you can’t create a feel-good picture that doesn’t end in at least some sort of victory. The makers have found a smart twist to put on that concept so it doesn’t feel like cliché. An upbeat movie about decent people trying to do nice things is always welcome, especially when done with such earnestness.

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