NO BULL ABOUT IT…
With dozens of films released each year, one genre that often gets overlooked amid the flashier releases, action, comedy, drama, animation, is the faith-based film. These movies, typically rooted in Christianity, center on individuals or communities facing profound personal struggles that test their beliefs. While some revisit classic biblical stories, like The Ten Commandments or Ben-Hur—others explore more modern or contemporary narratives, either inspired by true events (Heaven Is for Real, Unbroken, I Can Only Imagine) or adapted from popular faith-based literature (The Shack, War Room, Overcomer). Regardless of their origin, these films tend to explore themes of spiritual identity, perseverance, and redemption, often aiming to inspire through a message of hope and belief. Now, with The Last Rodeo, Angel Studios and director Jon Avnet present a new entry in the genre, blending sports drama with faith-based storytelling. But does it deliver heartfelt inspiration, or does it stumble under the weight of its own ambition?
THE STORY
Once a champion on the rodeo circuit, Joe Wainwright (Neal McDonough) walked away from bull riding after the tragic loss of his wife, Rose (Ruvé McDonough), and a devastating injury that nearly paralyzed him. Now living as a rancher in Texas, Joe has formed a close bond with his grandson, Cody (Graham Harvey), even as his relationship with his daughter, Sally (Sarah Jones), remains strained. But when Cody suffers a serious injury that reveals a life-threatening brain tumor, the family is faced with a costly surgery they can’t afford. Driven by love and desperation, Joe makes the unthinkable decision to return to the ring and compete in the upcoming PBR Legends Tournament in Oklahoma, hoping to win the prize money needed to save his grandson’s life. As he trains with his old friend and coach, Charlie Williams (Mykelti Williamson), Joe prepares to face younger riders like rising star Billy Hamilton (Daylon Swearingen) and the physical demands of a sport that nearly broke him once before. Along the way, he must also confront the emotional weight of his past. his regrets, his faith, and his fractured family bonds, for one final ride that could redeem everything.
THE GOOD / THE BAD
I’ll admit this may echo what I’ve said in other reviews, but it still reflects how I feel about these types of films. As a devout Christian (not a zealot, just grounded in my beliefs), I’ve never been the biggest fan of most “faith-based” movies. That’s not to say they’re bad or unworthy of attention, but they often come across as overly preachy or dramatically hokey, which can dilute their message. Personally, I gravitate more toward biblical epics like Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments or William Wyler’s Ben-Hur, films that have stood the test of time in both scope and storytelling.
In recent years, however, Hollywood has leaned away from grand-scale religious narratives and toward contemporary faith-based dramas, many of which are inspired by true stories. Some of these works (Unbroken, The Shack), while others get bogged down in their messaging, losing appeal with general audiences and even with those they’re meant to inspire. When that happens, the films start to feel more like made-for-TV features than cinematic experiences. Still, there’s clearly a proven market for these types of films which, while niche, offer a wholesome blend of family, faith, hope, and redemption.
This, of course, brings me back to The Last Rodeo, a 2025 drama that blends the familiar tropes of a sports underdog story with the uplifting tone of a faith-based production. To be perfectly honest, I hadn’t heard much about this movie, or even known of its existence, until just a few weeks ago. I believe I first saw the trailer while attending a screening of Marvel’s Thunderbolts (2025), and it caught my attention.
The preview gave off strong Ordinary Angels (2024) vibes, a sick child in need of an operation, a man grappling with faith and financial hardship, all wrapped in the trappings of inspirational, faith-based storytelling. From what I saw, The Last Rodeo looked promising. I’ve always liked Neal McDonough as an actor, so the fact that he was taking on a lead role piqued my interest even more. Naturally, I was curious enough to plan on seeing it when it hit theaters on May 23, 2025. However, that release date proved to be a crowded one. With Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remake releasing the same day, The Last Rodeo found itself competing for limited showtimes—especially at my local theater. Anticipating that its window might close quickly amid the summer movie rush, I made a point to catch it after work one evening before it got pulled from rotation.
So, what did I think? Overall, I thought the movie was good, but not great. The Last Rodeo is a straightforward, no-frills feature that knows exactly what it’s aiming for: heartfelt performances, clear motivations, and a story rooted in personal redemption. However, despite its good intentions, the film struggles with focus and lacks the cinematic polish that might have elevated its emotional core.
Yes, there are limitations in its execution and shaping, and the movie never quite finds the dramatic punch it’s reaching for. But even so, The Last Rodeo manages to settle into a pleasant rhythm. Its warm values and resonant themes, centered around family, faith, and second chances, make it a gentle, feel-good watch. It’s a sincere piece of “comfort food” cinema, even if it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.
The Last Rodeo is directed by Jon Avnet, whose past directorial credits include Fried Green Tomatoes, Up Close and Personal, and 88 Minutes. With experience spanning both film and television, including several TV movies and episodic work, Avnet feels like a fitting choice to helm a project like this. His background equips him to tell a story rooted in emotional familiarity, and he does so with a steady hand that many viewers will find comforting.
Yes, the film leans heavily into formula, but Avnet embraces this familiarity rather than shying away from it. He crafts The Last Rodeo as cinematic “comfort food”, a feel-good tale that travels on wholesome storytelling, sincere emotions, and relatable characters. The narrative is predictable, but in a way that feels intentional, offering audiences a gentle, heartwarming experience.
To that end, Avnet succeeds in drawing the audience into the emotional core of the film. He makes you care about Joe Wainwright and his struggle to return to the arena. He makes you hope for young Cody’s operation to succeed. He gives weight to Joe’s unresolved past with his late wife and the strain in his relationship with his daughter. And he finds poignant moments in the quiet friendship between Joe and Charlie. These story threads are handled with warmth and grace, and Avnet ensures each one lands with just the right emotional touch.
Avnet also brings surprising intensity to the bull-riding sequences. What may seem like a simple feat—staying on a bucking bull for eight seconds, is brought to life with tension and urgency. He effectively captures the physical toll, danger, and sheer chaos of the sport. These scenes give the film its sports-drama backbone and help elevate Joe’s journey as an underdog returning to a punishing world he once dominated. The visual grit and stakes of these moments add authenticity and give viewers a taste of the real-life risks professionals face in the arena.
That said, The Last Rodeo is not solely a sports drama. The film carries strong spiritual overtones, aligning it closely with the faith-based genre. Avnet weaves these elements into the story with care, exploring the complexity of the human condition, parental struggles, the ache of estrangement, the weariness of aging, and the quiet hope for reconciliation and forgiveness. These are universal themes, and they serve as emotional anchors that help the film connect with audiences on a deeper level.
Ultimately, Avnet’s work on The Last Rodeo feels genuine and heartfelt. He crafts a story that straddles the line between sports drama and faith-based family film, and that blend proves to be surprisingly effective. While not without its flaws, the movie is grounded in sincerity, one that seeks to uplift, reflect, and inspire through themes of redemption, family, and second chances.
In terms of presentation, The Last Rodeo does a commendable job with its grounded and realistic visuals. A movie like this doesn’t demand the high-budget spectacle of a Hollywood blockbuster or require expansive, exotic locales, and to its credit, it doesn’t pretend to. With a modest production budget of $8 million, director Jon Avnet makes smart use of the resources at hand, crafting a visual world that feels authentic and appropriate for the story being told. The film was primarily shot in Oklahoma, specifically in Owasso and Collinsville, which lends the feature a distinct Midwestern and rural charm that perfectly complements the narrative. From the wardrobe to the props, everything feels right at home in the world of Joe Wainwright. Special credit goes to the behind-the-scenes team, including Chris Rose (production design), Jason Parks (costume design), Morgan McCellan (art direction), and the hair and makeup department for bringing this rustic world to life with subtle yet effective detail.
Cinematographer Denis Lenoir also deserves praise for his solid camera work. The film boasts a clean and crisp visual style, with a few well-composed dramatic shots and occasional use of slow-motion techniques to heighten tension and emotion during key moments. Additionally, the score by Jeff Russo adds another layer to the presentation, providing an emotionally resonant backdrop that underscores the film’s highs and lows. From somber reflection to moments of triumph, Russo’s compositions help elevate the film’s more intimate beats in a meaningful way.
Unfortunately, The Last Rodeo stumbles when it comes to its overall execution. Despite having the right emotional ingredients, the film never fully coalesces into something greater. One of the primary shortcomings lies in its direction. While Avnet is a capable and seasoned filmmaker, his work here feels slightly off-balance and occasionally unfocused. Several scenes seem to lack strong directorial punctuation, relying more on the cast and script than on any dynamic vision behind the camera. There’s an underlying sense that the movie could’ve benefitted from either a co-director or a firmer hand at the helm to tighten its narrative cohesion and emotional pacing.
Moreover, the film lacks the cinematic “it factor” that gives similar stories their staying power. The emotional stakes are present, and the sentiment is there, but the storytelling never truly goes full throttle. Avnet lays the groundwork and sets up the key dramatic beats, but too often opts for restraint over catharsis, softening moments that should hit harder. This results in a film that feels emotionally muted in places, despite its best efforts to stir the heart.
The script, written by Avnet, Derek Presley, and Neal McDonough, also shares some of the blame. While the story is serviceable, it leans heavily into convention, echoing the structure and sentimentality of a Hallmark-style drama. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it does make the narrative feel overly safe and predictable. The plot is familiar, the character arcs unfold with little surprise, and many of the emotional beats are telegraphed well in advance. Some characters could’ve used more development, just a few extra scenes would have gone a long way, and even minor roles might’ve added more flavor with sharper writing. Additionally, the dialogue can be noticeably cheesy at times, which is a common trait in faith-based dramas, but here it feels especially prominent and occasionally undermines the film’s sincerity.
All of these elements contribute to The Last Rodeo feeling more like a made-for-TV movie than a theatrical release. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, plenty of TV movies can be heartfelt and entertaining, but it does hold the film back from reaching its full cinematic potential. The stakes are solid, and the characters are likable, but framing an entire feature around a retired bull rider staging a comeback doesn’t quite deliver the dramatic punch needed for the big screen. It feels more at home on a streaming platform or cable channel than in a theater.
Essentially, the movie’s shortcomings, its uneven direction, safe scripting, and modest scale, don’t make it a bad film, but they do limit its impact. The Last Rodeo is heartfelt and well-meaning, but it lacks the polish and power to elevate it beyond its small-screen sensibilities. It’s a film with the right heart, just not the right horsepower.
The cast of The Last Rodeo is a blend of mostly lesser-known actors with a few recognizable talents, the latter helping to bolster interest in the film and lend some theatrical weight to their respective roles. Naturally, the bigger-name stars are given the more prominent characters to portray, which feels appropriate given their experience and screen presence. While the script itself isn’t the strongest, something that does affect character depth in places, the cast puts in a respectable effort, doing what they can with the material provided.
Leading the charge is actor Neal McDonough, who plays the central role of Joe Wainwright. Known for his work in Suits, Band of Brothers, and Minority Report, McDonough has built a lengthy career playing supporting roles across film and television, often cast as either a tough guy or a villain. The Last Rodeo gives the seasoned actor a rare opportunity to take center stage as a leading man, and he proves more than capable of carrying that weight. McDonough embodies Joe with a rugged confidence and masculine grit, a “man’s man” presence that feels both authentic and grounded. His performance carries echoes of the classic Gary Cooper archetype: the strong, silent type with a stoic exterior. Yet, McDonough also manages to peel back the layers, revealing Joe’s vulnerability and softer side in moments of reflection and emotion.
The character of Joe Wainwright may follow a familiar path, the aging underdog fighting for redemption and family, but it works. Thanks to McDonough’s compelling presence and emotional nuance, Joe becomes a figure easy to root for from start to finish.
As a side note, McDonough’s real-life wife, Ruvé McDonough, appears in the film as Joe’s late wife, Rose Wainwright. Due to his devout religious beliefs, McDonough has long avoided romantic scenes that involve kissing anyone other than his wife. The Last Rodeo marks the first time he performs an on-screen kiss, fittingly and respectfully, with Ruvé, adding a personal and meaningful touch to their shared scene.
Behind McDonough, actor Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump, Fences) delivers a strong performance as Charlie Williams, Joe’s longtime trainer and loyal friend. While the character fits a familiar archetype—the supportive, seasoned mentor found in many sports dramas, Williamson elevates the role with genuine emotional depth. He brings nuance to Charlie’s unresolved feelings about Joe’s past decisions and the rift that ended their friendship, adding layers to what could’ve otherwise been a stock character. His performance gives both Charlie and his relationship with Joe added weight and complexity. Plus, Williamson and McDonough share solid on-screen chemistry, making their dynamic feel believable and heartfelt.
Next, actress Sarah Jones (For All Mankind, The Path) delivers a compelling performance as Sally Wainwright, Cody’s mother and Joe’s estranged daughter. While her character leans into the familiar tropes of the concerned mother and conflicted daughter, common in stories of this nature, Jones handles the role with sincerity and emotional weight. Her resentment toward Joe feels authentic and grounded, bringing a believable tension to their scenes. That said, I do wish the dialogue written for her had been a bit less clunky, as it occasionally undercuts the impact of her performance.
Additionally, young actor Graham Harvey (The Night Agent and Chicago P.D.) delivers a solid performance as Cody Wainwright, Sally’s son and Joe’s grandson. While his character feels somewhat underutilized, serving more as a plot device than a fully developed figure, Harvey holds his own alongside his adult co-stars and brings sincerity to his scenes.
Another recognizable face in the film is Christopher McDonald (Happy Gilmore and Thelma & Louise), who plays Jimmy Mack, a rodeo promoter and longtime friend of both Joe and Charlie. Like McDonough and Williamson, McDonald has a strong screen presence, and his scenes add a noticeable energy. Though a supporting player, his role as Jimmy Mack is well-executed and adds charm and weight to the narrative.
The rest of the supporting cast includes Irene Bedard (Pocahontas, Into the West) as Charlie’s wife, Agisa; Gabriel Sousa (As We See It and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as bull rider Marco Lockwood; Kamen Casey (Blue Lock and Just Us) as Cooper Duke; and Matt West (Sethcurity) and Clint Adkins (The Longest Ride) as announcers Carl Thompson and Bryan Buck. While these characters have limited screen time, each actor delivers a competent performance that serves the story well.
The film also brings a sense of authenticity by incorporating real-life professionals from the bull-riding world. Daylon Swearingen portrays up-and-coming rider Billy Hamilton with convincing realism, while actual PBR riders, including Ezekiel Mitchell, Dakota Lewis, Eli Vastbinder, Quincey McDonald, Ednelio Rodrigues, Marco Rizzo, and Silvano Alves, make appearances as themselves, adding credibility and texture to the film’s portrayal of the sport.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With his grandson in desperate need of an expensive surgery and the family’s funds running dry, retired bull-riding legend Joe Wainwright straps in for one final ride, confronting a new generation of competitors, the limitations of his aging body, and the ghosts of choices long past in The Last Rodeo. Director Jon Avnet’s latest film leans into themes of family, faith, and personal redemption, intertwining them with the rugged world of rodeo competition. It’s a story that wears its heart on its sleeve, sentimental, relatable, and clearly crafted with sincerity. Yet, while the film’s intentions are admirable and its emotional throughline is clear, the execution leaves something to be desired. There’s a missing spark, an elusive “it factor”, that keeps The Last Rodeo from fully hitting its dramatic stride. It feels heartfelt, yes, but also unpolished, with uneven pacing and a narrative that never quite transcends it’s made-for-TV trappings. That said, the performances do help carry the film across the finish line. Neal McDonough and Mykelti Williamson both deliver strong, grounded turns that add some much-needed weight and authenticity to the drama. Personally, I found the movie to be good….not great, but commendable in its earnestness. It has enough warmth and underdog charm to draw viewers in, especially those who appreciate small-town Americana and sports-themed redemption arcs. Still, the film struggles with cinematic presence, often feeling like a heartfelt Hallmark special rather than a theatrical experience. With tighter direction and more cinematic finesse, this could’ve been something truly special. As it stands, though, it’s a modest drama best suited for the small screen. So, my recommendation? The Last Rodeo is a decent “one-night rental”, a safe, family-friendly watch that might even find a comfortable home on cable or streaming in the near future. It has its heart in the right place, but it stumbles too often to make a lasting impression. Ultimately, this is one rodeo that was built for the living room, not the big screen.
3.4 Out of 5 (Rent It)
The Official Website for The Last Rodeo Link: HERE
Released On: May 22nd, 2025
Reviewed On: June 1st, 2025
The Last Rodeo is 118 minutes long and is rated PG for thematic elements, language, and violence
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