Hi everyone!
Today’s film will be a stretch for me, as someone who is not a huge fan of the rodeo, despite understanding its cultural underpinnings. But sometimes it’s all about stretching our comfort zone here at One Movie Punch, and besides, I could be surprised, right? I’ll let you know in a minute! For a couple other films in the same general area, check out “Logan Lucky” (Episode #065), “Vernon, Florida” (Episode #166), and “The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter” (Episode #188), all of which pushed me a bit outside my comfort zone.
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Here we go!
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Today’s movie is “Walk. Ride. Rodeo.”, the Netflix Original drama directed by Conor Allyn, and written for the screen by Sean Dwyer and Greg Cope White, based on the story by Dan Goforth. The film follows the story of rodeo star Amberley Snyder (Spencer Locke), who suffers an accident that paralyzes her from the waist down. Against all the odds, and with the support of her friends and family, she begins fighting to return to the sport she enjoyed so much.
No spoilers.
Predictability is never a good quality for a film. Sometimes you can hear the summary for a film, and then picture the entire story or hear parts of the dialogue. Racks of predictable films have been made, working off a handful of formulae, with producers meeting audience expectations by relying on predictable storytelling devices. Nowhere is this more so than in the world of made-for-television movies, where quantity nearly always usurps quality, as production costs continue to drop and audience hunger for more content increases. I’m probably a little too adept at predicting where most movies are heading, but I also think that nearly everyone can predict exactly where today’s film is headed, and that’s never a good thing, especially for a tale of recovery.
Another standard three-act structure today. No surprises in the plot, really, and not just because it’s based on a true story. We have the introduction combined with the accident that paralyzes Amberly Snyder. We have the second act of working towards recovery and making peace with her new life. And then we have the final act, where Amberly works to overcome her limitations and inspires many in the process. Without surprises, the film has to rely on the other aspects of the film to keep the viewer’s interest, such as the dialogue, the acting, and exploring the content around the main story. Having a good story isn’t enough in this case, and unfortunately, neither are the other aspects of the film.
I had a tough time with the acting, with the cast being made up of decent quality working actors. In particular, I had a hard time believing Spencer Locke as Amberly, who never sells the idea that she’s experienced with the rodeo. She was up against some pretty heavy odds, though, considering the script. For as much as I felt her pain and suffering in the wake of her accident, I couldn’t stomach the privileged, tone-deaf dialogue, watching Amberly wallow in her misery even though her lot in life is still well ahead of most people, with the benefit of a loving family who supports her the entire way. I also just didn’t like the shoehorned relationship with another supporting character, as I think it took away from the struggle. The production of the film oscillates between a television movie and a silver screen feature, with some really great shots and editing interspersed between some obligatory dramatic scenes that tell the viewer the story rather than showing it. I mean absolutely no disrespect to Amberly Snyder herself, who has quite an inspiring story. I just wish it translated better to the film format.
“Walk. Ride. Rodeo.” is a heartwarming, familiar tale of recovery, which follows the true story of Amberly Snyder. While the film hits all the necessary points in a tale of recovery, it also struggles with predictability in the story, and sub-standard production along the way. Fans of made-for-television movies, or films that appear on Lifetime or Hallmark, will definitely enjoy this film. Everyone else, just lower your expectations if you want to enjoy the film, and critics can probably stay far away.
Rotten Tomatoes: NR
Metacritic: NR
One Movie Punch: 5.1/10
“Walk. Ride. Rodeo.” (2019) is rated TV-PGand is currently playing on Netflix.
