Religion has not only been a potentially profitable business model since yesterday. The Angel Studios, located in the Mormon state of Utah, have also recognized and adapted this for film and series productions: paying members of the so-called Angel Guild decide on which filmmakers pitched by filmmakers should usually be implemented with Christian values-provided that the required production budget then comes together via a successful crowdfunding campaign. It can be criticized that the believing supporter is asked twice to the checkout – and at the same time remains largely among themselves, because apart from the Megahit “Sound of Freedom”, which also reaches the mainstream, the community usually forms most of the cinema voice.
An outstanding audience rating of 95% for the Angel Studios production “The Last Rodeo” on Rotten Tomatoes can also be explained, while the reviews were also much mixed. The drama of Jon Avnet (“Das Baumhaus”), which was launched across the board in the cinemas in the United States with a remarkable 2,200 copies, literally overflows about faith and humanity in front of tiring-more buildings. At least there are gripping and sometimes refreshingly staged rodeo scenes, which in their best moments even remind you of the late continuation of a well-known film series with Hollywood superstar Sylvester Stallone.
The ex-rodeo champion Joe Wainwright (Neal McDonough) absolutely wants to know again!
Texan Joe Wainwright (Neal McDonough) was once a triple Rodeo champion until he retired from the dangerous sport 15 years after the death of his wife Rose (Ruvé McDonough) and a serious bull ride in drunk. He is all the more pleased that his grandson Cody (Graham Harvey) wants to step into his footsteps. After repeated dizziness, Cody is taken to the hospital – diagnosis: brain tumor! Since Cody's mother Sally (Sarah Jones) cannot find the six-digit amount for a necessary operation himself, Joe is in the Rodeo-saddle with the support of his long-time friend Charlie Williams (Mykelti Williamson) at the highly endowed legend championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma …
Nobel instead of exciting
The thin plot of “The Last Rodeo” is largely ticked off after the first 20 minutes of film – and then no longer has any barbens until the foreseeable end. All in this deeply conservative-heteronormative Christian shelter world between ranch, nuclear family and emphasizes masculines, means: pain-resistant men in cowboymontur morally flawlessly. Existing conflicts are dissolved in (much too long and inflated) dialogues. Even Joes youngster Billy Hamilton (Daylon Swearingen), with whom he together in a pub, he apologizes well when he learns from the tumor fate of the grandson. For his operation, the tournament organizer Jimmy (Christopher McDonald) will even set up a donation campaign in the television transmission of the competition.
With so much mixing charity, the casual, unscrupulous scenes at the Rodeo ensure a welcome change: When Joe is shaken up from a mechanical bull in pain in pain (a scene in which Neal McDonough actually dug up) before he is taught about his age and health, even memories of Sylvester are Stallone age appearance in the late sequel “Rocky Balboa”. The gripping bull rides in the arena (enriched with real recordings of the Professional Bull Riders) as well as tanny in the changing room, if the upper body-free joe assumes that his competitor is insulting the drinking of chocolate milk, the strained-value-worthy scenario at least a little easier. Just stupid that the Rodeo scenes alone are insignificantly short for a valid attempt by the regulations (to stay on the bull for eight seconds with one hand).
The rodeo scenes are clearly the highlights of “The Last Rodeo”!
Neal McDonough, who was also involved in the script and production, returns the hard guy again after his role as an ice -cold criminal businessman in “Tulsa King”. Nevertheless, he succeeds in the empathetic representation of a man wrestling with his faith, who has already put the tears in the eye when looking at old wedding videos. (Fun Fact: The very believing US actor denies his first film kiss here after a long career, but only because he hugs his real wife Ruvé McDonaugh.)
But McDonoughs endeavored to play the activity and his missionary commitment in the credits (where he calls for the scanning of a QR code and thus for buying and “passing on” the film to other people) in all honor: a tighter staging and a little less Christian brimborium-in the last third even Bible verse are sent to the sky-“The Last Rodeo” Definitely good -fed.
Conclusion: Not only with the gripping rodeo scenes, but also with the balanced dialogues about responsibility and crises, the view quickly goes to the clock. “The Last Rodeo” rarely finds the balance between lauem drama and a gripping sport with western motifs.