'The Last Rodeo' Review: A Gritty, Heartfelt Ride into the Arena of Redemption
- Romey Norton
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
By Romey Norton - May 22, 2025
Saddle up for The Last Rodeo, a slow-burning yet stirring family drama that trades flash for feeling and proves there’s still power in an old-school story told well. Directed by Jon Avnet (Fried Green Tomatoes), this modern Western isn’t about shootouts or wide-open plains, it’s about second chances, tough love, and the meaning of true grit.
Neal McDonough (Minority Report) stars as Joe Wainwright, a retired rodeo legend long estranged from his daughter Sally (Sara Jones) and unaware of the trouble brewing in the life of his teenage grandson, Cody (Graham Harvey). When Cody is diagnosed with a brain tumour and health bills are impossible to pay, Joe sees only one way to save his family is to step back into the ring as the oldest competitor in a brutal, no-holds-barred bull-riding competition.
McDonough gives the performance of his career, as he effortlessly portrays a man trying to save his family and keep his legacy. His performance anchors the film, even when the pacing stumbles slightly in the second act.
Sara Jones holds her own as Sally, delivering raw emotion without tipping into melodrama, while Christopher McDonald brings some levity as rodeo promoter Jimmy Mack, the kind of character who could easily have swaggered in from a Coen Brothers film. Mykelti Williamson plays Charlie Williams, Joe’s best friend, like a true supportive sidekick, and has an infectious laugh. Everyone has great chemistry, and makes this film very enjoyable to watch.
The cinematography leans into wide Texas skies and the bone-shaking intensity of bull riding without over-romanticising the sport. This isn’t glossy Americana, it’s dusty, dangerous, and deeply personal. The real bull riding scenes have a visceral intensity, keeping you on your toes. If you don’t know, it’s one of the most dangerous yet artistic sports, valued across America, and this film showcases that perfectly. So you’ve got to give it to the bull-riders/student team for these fierce and, at times, frightening scenes.
While the story/plot is simple, it’s entertaining, informative, and high stakes. The runtime is a little long, and sometimes the pacing is slow, and you’re itching to see more rodeos and bar fights. However, because you’re rooting for Joe from the very beginning, you’re happy to sit through and wait for his happy ending. You don’t always think you’ll get there, with his Grandson’s deterioration, and his age catching up with him. But the ending, without giving too many spoilers, is heartfelt and ties the story up nicely.
The Last Rodeo isn’t flashy, but it’s fierce in its honesty. With strong performances, a heartfelt script, and a dust-kicking sense of purpose, it rides tall among 2025’s best drama releases. With themes of redemption, masculinity, generational trauma, and forgiveness, The Last Rodeo is a true cowboy-drama film that wears its heart on its flannel sleeve and asks tough questions about what it means to be a man, a father, and a legacy.
The Last Rodeo is out in cinemas May 23
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