I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Brilliant and touching

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The Rider takes on the lives of a young boy and the life of a cowboy and his family. Drawing most of the film from a handful of actors that the story is based on, lined up the film to fall on pretty flimsy shoulders. Good thing for the Rider and for Chloe Zhao, they brought their A-game and not only that, they provided authenticity and understanding to everything they were acting, because it was all real to them. In many scenes you follow the main character Brady through him accomplishing cowboy tasks, where in all actuality he is just doing what he has done his whole life. Where the film excels in the scenes where he is having to bring emotion and storytelling to the film. In these scenes, which are most of the film, he provides a wonderful performance that is hard to match from a first-time actor. From long takes, and truly emotional scenes and relationships, Brady Jandreau may find himself asked for more roles. Further down the line from the great acting performances, the story is captivating, especially to someone who is unaware of the life of a modern-day cowboy and rodeo rider. Now it won't be a movie that knocks your boots off, it is definitely one that will bring a fresh perspective on the world.

Brady Jadreau's performance is unique; he plays himself with an intensity and belief that is reminiscent of the greatest of actors - the ensemble add and support to the performance and the grand, simple, elegiacal story weaved by Chloe Zhao. Brady's Dad - a superb and subtle rendition by another Jadreau - had me thinking that this was surely one of the great supporting actors that Hollywood is famous for - but no .....This film is superb in that it is a small, dramatic tale of love, lost dreams, loyalty, tradition and the bond between human and horse - see it, be moved ....

In The Rider, South Dakota's stirring pastures have been gorgeously lensed by Joshua James Richards, who also shot the overcast rural landscapes of Yorkshire in 2017's God's Own Country. The Rider is a beautiful film to look at, its authentic vision set against a minimalist score by Nathan Halpern. It helps that star Brady Jandreau, playing a version of himself (as are all the actors here, it seems), is handsome and subtly charismatic.But the film sputters throughout its running time, especially in the first half. I have no doubt that what I've seen in The Rider is a very close and faithful account of reality--this is what these people wear, what they believe, how they talk, what they dream of, what misfortunes befall them, etc.--yet something about writer/director Chloé Zhao's style makes so much of this movie feel fake. For instance, there is a scene early in the film where Brady and three of his young friends drive out into the middle of the prairie to get drunk, play the guitar, take turns jumping over a bonfire, and hang out. All the details of this situation are, I'm sure, 100% accurate, yet the manner in which they take turns telling very detailed, narratively clear, expository stories about the worst times each of them was injured at a rodeo seems explicitly false. Is this how close friends talk to each other? Surely they've heard about these injuries before--in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were all there to witness each one. Of course sometimes with friends we reminisce about the details of significant events that have happened to us, even if none of that is "news" to any of us, yet I couldn't help but feel that the way in which this scene unfolds in The Rider is simply because Zhao needed an easy way to guarantee that her viewers would understand the physical stakes of being a rodeo rider. And when it seems so blatant that the things I'm seeing on screen are only happening because there's a director right behind the camera--especially in a movie that strives for realism/naturalism like this one--it's hard for me to become fully invested.That's one example, but there are frequent moments like that throughout the film. I wonder if Brady's story and Zhao's purposes would have been better served if she had simply made an over-the-shoulder documentary instead of striving for whatever narrative nonfiction thing this movie would be characterized as. It might've required a lot more footage, but I'm sure the payoff would have been more genuine.In any case, what's here is certainly worth a look, and certain other memorable scenes--such as one in which Brady wrestles with a teenager who's just beginning to aspire to be a rodeo rider--don't possess the weakness I've just described. More importantly, the story's message is thought-provoking, meaningful, and nicely nuanced. Brady lives in a world where there are narrow expectations, opportunities, and pathways in life for the humans who inhabit it, and even fewer for the horses who live with them. What happens when a cruel twist of fate slams several of those already limited doors shut? How can dignity remain in a world that's been designed to close out those who are impaired? Where can sources of hope and support be found in a world that's not very amenable to change or difference? The Rider grapples with these questions in a resonant and authentic way, even if the movie isn't always as effective as it could've been.

//Revelation Film Festival Review//A touching portrayal of a rodeo star, Brady (Brady Jandreau), who finds his way of life wrangled away following a freak riding accident. Unable to mount up again, Brady goes on a journey of self-discovery while looking after his financially stricken sister and father in the harsh South Dakota badlands.What elevates the film's already strong story is the decision to cast a real family of bronc riders instead of professional actors in the main roles. As they draw on their own experiences in bringing the script to life, The Rider feels hauntingly real in its depiction of a hard-bitten way of life. While some parts in the middle feel a little slow, by the end the film leaves a devastating emotional impact that lingers long after. A definite highlight of the festival so far.