2017’s The Rider, written
and directed by Chloé Zhaoz.
Starring Brady Jandreau, Tim Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Cat
Clifford, Terri Dawn Pourier, Lane Scott, Tanner Langdeau, James Calhoon, and
Derrick Janis.
What is it about?
The Rider stars
Brady Jandreau (playing a version of himself) as a cowboy who is passionate
about competing in rodeos. Living on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota,
Brady is seriously injured in a rodeo competition. Advised by doctors that he
can never ride again, Jandreau has to help his father (played by his actual
father, Tim Jandreau) and sister (Jandreau’s actual sister, Lilly Jandreau)
stay afloat, while coping with his feelings of loss and struggling to find
fulfillment. Will Brady be able to take care of himself as per the
recommendations of others, or live the life of his dreams?
Why is it worth seeing?
The Rider is an
intimate character drama that is so natural and organic in its actors, setting,
and tone, that it could be considered more documentary re-telling, than simply
a fictional film. Star Brady Jandreau (just try not emphasizing with him)
portrays his own true story about not being able to be a rodeo star anymore,
with his actual father playing his father, and actual sister playing his sister,
and his muse in the story is played by his (former) muse in real life- you probably
get the picture in terms of the film’s authenticity.
Director Chloé Zhaoz brings a delicate sense of casual
intimacy in how the setting and actors are portrayed, but deftly places the
emotions of its quiet but purposeful star under a microscope. Not since Heath
Ledger in Brokeback Mountain, has a
character visibly felt so much while saying so little, with similarly powerful
results.
In the telling of how Brady’s injury prevented him from
pursuing his passion, we feel his fallout, and pressure that his home grown environment
places into him. Cowboys (and rodeo stars) have such a draw in the culture- and
we feel the longing of Brady, to return to the lifestyle that he once was
considered a star of. But isn’t his muse permanently handicapped from his own
rodeo experiences? Simultaneously, Brady’s lack of job skills catch up with
him- and it’s not like the South Dakota reservation has a plethora of opportunities
for him to pursue. With no livelihood and no pizazz- all he has left is the
fire in his belly.
A lesser film would frame these circumstances as some kind
of self destructive revenge filled quest against the cruelties of fate, or even
about the reunion tour of re-living past glories. Instead, choices that are
illuminated here are based around accepting the possibility of change with
grace. There are moments in the film that can be as brief and lovely as a
setting sunrise on the plains, and the ending is one of the scenes of the year.
Remarkably timely in an age of sequels and superheroes, The Rider doesn’t try to re-invent the
wheel, and instead uses its true story, real characters, Mid-West setting, and
difficult lessons, to realistically portray the tough choices we all face in
life, and in the most surprising of places, finds artistic grace.
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