The Rider

Starring: Brady Jandreau, Tim Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Cat Clifford, Lane Scott
Directed by: Chloe Zhao
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Western
2018

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A cowboy (Brady Jandreau) struggles after suffering a devastating head injury that prevents him from riding.

Review:

Tim: I feel like there's so much to say about The Rider. The simplistic take (one that many news outlets ran with) was how amazing it was that this Chinese woman was able to craft such a beautifully American film about cowboys. I don't subscribe to that take, but there's no doubt that what Chloe Zhao did here was remarkable. If you're trying to focus on achievements, this woman directing her second feature film took untrained actors playing versions of themselves and crafted a beautiful, haunting, memorable portrayal of what it means to grow up as a cowboy in modern day America. It's a film about losing your dreams and what you do afterwards. I couldn't quite call this a great movie (and it was a struggle for me), but my rating takes nothing away from this remarkable movie.

As a directorial achievement, this one is incredible. I honestly have no idea how Zhao was able to take this family of cowboys and get them to give performances this raw, this incredible. Brady Jandreau is fantastic in the lead role. Zhao shelters him only on occasion. It's a quiet, subtle performance, but Brady conveys so much emotion in this role. You might think it was easy since he's playing himself and he suffered the same injury as his character, but there was something else special happening here. Somehow, Zhao coaxes out of him a beautiful performance. Tim Jandreau, playing Brady's father is likewise excellent. The way he talks to his son, his own displays of emotion, it's all a bit mesmerizing. I loved Tim Jandreau's line delivery and the naturalness of his performance. Those two worked well together, and it felt like we got a glimpse into their real-life relationship. Lilly Jandreau was remarkable as well. I can't profess to have any idea of how Zhao worked with her. Lilly has autism and is so memorable on screen. It felt like we were getting a real look at how she interacted with her brother. These three make up the heart of the movie and the scenes with Brady, Tim, and Lilly are seared into my mind. Lane Scott was memorable, too. His story is a heartbreaking one and seeing Brady and he together was powerful.

Zhao tells this incredible story that's obviously based on true events. You can watch this movie through that lens- that this family are playing themselves, centered around the aftermath of a near-fatal horse injury. It's amazing to consider the impact this event had on Brady's life, but the implications for his family as well. That would have been impressive enough. However, Zhao's films taps into such deeper themes. This is a movie about young men, how they cope when their dreams evaporate. Most young people will thankfully never experience the kind of trauma Brady Jandreau/Blackburn did, but the idea of letting go of your dreams is a painful one. What happens when you can't do the one thing you love doing the most? Who are you after your dreams are taken from you? In life, all of us have had to give up on dreams of various size as you age. It's never easy. This movie tells an extreme version of that, but the basic premise is very relatable.

Zhao does a fantastic job of using visuals to tell this story as well. The cinematography is gorgeous and you marvel at the beautiful emptiness of the west. Several scenes with thunder and looming storms are stunning in their portrayal. Seeing Brady on a horse alone in an open field is such a powerful image. The opening shot of Jandreau's injury and the staples is visceral. Zhao fully utilizes the visual medium to help her tell this story in a way that's beyond most directors, especially ones making their second feature film.

The movie is realistic, but using untrained actors might have limited some of the film's effectiveness. I'm not suggesting she should have used actors- what Zhao did here is amazing and while I think the movie falls just under greatness, it's a fantastic movie that I'll think about for a long, long time. The Rider is a beautiful achievement and it's a film I wish more people had seen.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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