The Last Rodeo is an emotional drama anchored by Neal McDonough and Sarah Jones that pulls from uplifting sports movies as much as it embraces rodeo culture and an undercurrent of strong faith. Directed by Jon Avnet, The Last Rodeo is an unapologetically emotional movie that goes for the big emotions. The film focuses on three generations of the Wainright family — Joe, his grown daughter Sally, and her son Cody, as they struggle through a sudden sickness.
The Last Rodeo doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it has fun telling its emotional faith-based story for Neal McDonough following a string of compelling villain performances in Yellowstone and Tulsa King. There’s an earnest heart to the proceedings, which does get broken up with some hard-hitting bull riding. Ahead of The Last Rodeo‘s theatrical release on May 23, Screen Rant has an exclusive clip of the dramatic western that shows off the emotional dynamic between McDonough’s Joe and Sarah Jones’ Sally as they find a moment of levity amid potentially lethal operations and bull-riding compeтιтions.
The Last Rodeo Clip Shows Off Neal McDonough and Sarah Jones’ Dynamic
Joe And Sally “Get On With It” In An Emotional Scene From The Last Rodeo
An exclusive clip for The Last Rodeo shows off Neal McDonough’s The Last Rodeo highlights the emotional dynamic at the center of the film. The Last Rodeo stars McDondough as Joe Wainright, a former rodeo star who has a close relationship with his grandson in the Texas countryside. However, after Joe and his daughter Sally discover that the teenager has a brain tumor, Joe is forced to reenter the sport that almost killed him in the hope of raising the funds for his operation.
In an exclusive clip provided to Screen Rant, Joe and Sally find a small moment of levity while dealing with the drama of their situation. Sally recalls a moment where an injured Joe said that his deceased wife was in the room, telling them to “get on with it,” which has become something of a motto for the single mother. The pair’s dynamic is pretty succinctly summed up in the clip, which highlights the internal resolve of both characters as well as Sally’s ability to bounce off of her father with ease.
Joe And Sally Are The Emotional Core Of The Last Rodeo
The Father/Daughter Relationship Is The Key Emotional Thread In The Film
The Last Rodeo is very much a film about Joe and Sally, who are both shaken by the discovery of Cody’s illness. Their rapport ends up being a major draw of the film, especially in the first act as they display a loving, if critical, appraisal of one another. McDonough and Jones are strong scene partners, finding a surprisingly emotional core to their arguments and confessions that play into the story’s dramatic throughline.
While the movie does leave Sarah behind at various points to focus on Joe’s journey towards rediscovering his compeтιтive nature and his personal faith, their dynamic is the key relationship in the film. As seen in the clip, their dynamic underscores The Last Rodeo‘s focus on families withstanding tough times with a sense of self-awareness and humor. This is an important aspect of the film, as it gives the cowboy riff on Rocky archetypes a clear emotional grounding to stay connected through.
The Last Rodeo Is A Personal Story For Neal McDonough
Neal McDonough Was Involved On Multiple Levels Of The Last Rodeo
Neal McDonough wore a lot of hats on the set of The Last Rodeo. Beyond starring in the film as Joe Wainright, McDonough was also a producer and co-writer on the film. The movie even cast McDonough’s real-life wife Ruvé Robertson, as Joe’s deceased wife, Rose. The film is also a big starring role for the actor, who is perhaps best known for a long list of memorable supporting roles and villainous turns in shows like Band of Brothers, Arrow, and Justified. McDonough’s recent stint in Tulsa King as Cal Thresher has been a fun showcase for the actor.
At the core of The Last Rodeo is a sweet story about a father and his daughter…
The Last Rodeo is a heartfelt throwback that works as a feel-good family film. There’s a mixture of sports films like Rocky and rustic character dramas like Friday Night Lights, with a consistent theme about faith that doesn’t overwhelm the story or the characters. At the core of The Last Rodeo is a sweet story about a father and his daughter, who both have to renew different kinds of faith to get through the challenges (and bulls) that life throws their way.
