In The Last Rodeo, a former champion bull rider returns to competition to fund his grandson’s brain tumor operation. It’s the third feature star Neal McDonough has made with Angel Studios, following The Shift and Homestead. This time McDonough is a producer and co-writer as well as lead.
Widowed Joe Wainwright (McDonough) leads a tough but fulfilling life as a blacksmith in Edna, Texas. He was a champion bull rider until breaking his neck; now he tries to help his daughter Sal (Sarah Jones) raise her son Cody (Graham Cody).
Like his grandad, Cody wants to ride bulls, but Sal would prefer he play baseball. She remembers what happened to Wainwright after his wife (played by McDonough’s real-life wife Ruvé) died of cancer: a long slide into substance abuse and reckless behavior, culminating in the accident that almost killed him.
Then Cody is diagnosed with brain cancer. Doctors at Dallas Memorial want to operate quickly, but Sal’s insurance will cover less than half of a potentially $150,000 bill. “We’ll figure it out,” Wainwright tells his daughter. “We will because we have to.”
Wainwright’s next step is contacting his former rodeo partner Charlie (Mykelti Williamson), who reluctantly agrees to train him for the PBR Legends Championship in Tulsa. As a former winner, Wainwright can compete for a purse large enough to finance Cody’s operation. But it’s been 15 years since Wainwright’s been in the ring.
Wainwright and Charlie have to convince rodeo manager Jimmy Mack (Christopher McDonald) to let Wainwright perform. While Mack can exploit the publicity surrounding a veteran’s return to the ring, he’s worried about both the possibility of an accident and the memory of Wainwright’s former behavior.
Training, rides, bar talks, arguments with Sal, challenges from other riders like Billy Hamilton (real-life PBR star Daylon Swearingen) follow, along with earnest talks from Charlie about faith.
The filmmaking in The Last Rodeo is about as straightforward as you can get, with McDonough delivering a stoic, taciturn performance punctuated by “Yep” and “Nope” dialogue. Mykelti Williamson’s aw-shucks demeanor and thousand-watt smile carry most of the acting weight, although Christopher McDonald is a welcome presence behind the scenes at the rodeo.
The script’s redemptive arc holds few surprises: viewers will realize pretty quickly that McDonough’s Wainwright is not going to fail. Nor will little Cody succumb to his cancer. The film’s setbacks and obstacles are no more than delaying tactics to the story’s happy ending.
Even so, The Last Rodeo keeps improving as it moves along. The rides themselves get more exciting, while the stakes facing all of the leads become more demanding. The movie may not be especially layered or complex, but it’s more honest and emotional than you might expect.
Director Jon Avnet (Black Swan, Fried Green Tomatoes) brings a sure hand to the material. He stages scenes simply, without forcing drama or ignoring humor. The cinematography by Denis Lenoir (who worked with Mia Hansen-Løve on One Fine Morning and Bergman Island) is outstanding, as crisp and clear as the plotting.
The Last Rodeo is another solid, no-nonsense release from Angel Studios.
Credits: Directed by Jon Avnet. Written by Neal McDonough, Jon Avnet, Derek Presley. Produced by Darren Moorman, Stephen Preston, Ruvé McDonough, Neal McDonough, Jon Avnet, Kip Konwiser. Director of photography: Denis Lenoir. Edited by Tom Costantino. Starring: Neal McDonough, Mykelti Williamson, Sarah Jones, Daylon Swearingen, Christopher McDonald, Graham Harvey.
Photos courtesy Angel Studios.