My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

Here's a modern Western gem from 1991 that's never been released on DVD.

Scott Glenn plays an injured ex-rodeo rider who returns home a Prodigal Son after years away.

The film follows his complicated relationships with his ex-girlfriend (Kate Capshaw), selfish wealthy brother (a surprisingly excellent Gary Busey playing against type), and aging father, a retired rodeo rider with dementia (real-life champion rodeo cowboy Ben Johnson in a touching performance).

As did many underdog movies of the era, the film awkwardly turns "Rocky"-like toward the end, when Scott Glenn's character mounts his rodeo steed once more for a chance at enough money to keep dad out of the nursing home.

And the end is jarringly abrupt, leaving several plot lines unresolved and questions unanswered.

But those are minor quibbles, when the rest of the movie is just pure joy, watching the characteristically taciturn Glenn navigate from one relationship to the other.

And the movie is peppered with old Western stars like Dub Taylor, to remind you that despite the soap opera drama, this here's a rodeo show at heart.

There isn't much to say about this rodeo 'Rocky' rip-off. In a nutshell: hard-drinkin', slow-talking', two-fisted bronco buster Scott Glenn has to ride the meanest bull on Earth to win the money needed to keep his ailing father out of a nursing home, and so forth and so on. The formula is copied right down to the inspirational training montage and sappy, uplifting music score, and there's even a little cowboy Zen philosophy from old wrangler Ben Johnson. Besides being sloppy and derivative, the film is also too influenced by the MTV aesthetic, hardly the appropriate style for a country-western ballad: the camera is too close to the actors, the scissors too handy in the editing room, and the volume of the soundtrack is cranked far too loud. Better talent has never been more wasted: Johnson and Gary Busey provide a measure of stability, but Tess Harper gives what has to be one of the most irritating performances of the year. Keep a sharp lookout for Mickey Rooney, playing Johnson's nursing home buddy…don't blink or you'll miss him.

I am always looking for movies set in Texas/Oklahoma, etc. in modern times (post-cowboy days). I expected this one to be little corny, but I was not prepared for just how bad it was. Even though it had some decent actors, they all did a terrible job or were given a terrible script and direction in this flick. Ben Johnson is one of my all-time favorite actors. Compare this to "The Last Picture Show" and he comes off as a crude redneck with emotions that I'd expect in a kids movie. Characters changed moods and attitudes from one sentence to the next. The arguments were totally irrational and disconnected. Unless you're desperate to watch bull riding and wranglers, don't waste your time with this pitiful movie.

HD has led a life of rodeo-ing and honky tonkin. An injury while bull riding forces him to return home to recupperate. When he gets there he finds that his sister and her idiot husband have put HD's dad into a nursing home and are trying to take the farm. HD's old girlfriend from childhood also comes back into his life and soon HD has to return to bull riding to win the $100,000.00 prize, fend off his sister, keep his dad from the old folks home, and win the love of his life.

This has become one of my most favorite films. I love Scott Glenn and Ben Johnson and this story always brings a tear to my eyes. A must see. Its a bit corny and low budget but damn worth your time.

What should have been a good story with a capable cast was actually hard to watch for me. Each scene seemed to be performed without any regard to the ones previous or following, and HD actually calls Jolie "Jolly" at one point (and no one caught such a basic mistake, which could have been easily corrected in post production audio work).

The ending was predictable, and disappointing in its execution. Once the final scene was underway, the acting ended, and the audience was never treated to anything like a finale that would've tied up the loose ends.

Unfortunate, given the talent available (and the cameo by Mickey Rooney).

Sheesh.