The Rider

Parental Rating: R

Contains: Language    Drug Use    Adult Content    

Jill's Review

Opens April 27, 2018

Runs 104 minutes

Brady Blackburn (Brady Jandreau) is a bronco rider. That is all he knows. When he suffers a tragic head injury that leaves him unable to ride, he flounders. Rodeo is everything to him. His friends goad him to brush it off and get back in the saddle. But, the doctors tell him that another head injury could kill him. Now, he must forge a new identity for himself and hope he can live with the man he becomes.

This is a very unique film. Brady Jandreau plays a fictionalized version of himself. In real life, he suffered a similar accident. He was hospitalized, put in an induced coma and told he could never ride again. His real Father Tim Jandreau plays his father in the movie and his real autistic sister Lilly plays his sister in the movie. The brother/sister relationship is so sweet. But, this film packs a punch - right to the gut. This accident changes Brady's life forever. There is even a scene where he visits his best friend and fellow rodeo rider Lane Scott (played by the actual Lane Scott) who lives in a rehab facility and will probably never be able to live on his own after his own accident. You can read Brady's face -his sorrow for his friend and his grief for himself, even though he knows he is so much better off than Lane. This movie is beautiful and majestic. It is filmed on the wide open plains of the South Dakota Lakota Indian reservation. The horses are so magnificent. Be prepared for some real life situations regarding horses. This movie brought tears to my eyes more than once. This is a must see. One of the best films of the year. Go see it.

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