Film Review – The Last Rodeo

Jon Avnet was once the director of “Fried Green Tomatoes,” but those days are long gone. The helmer has struggled in his career, making movies that didn’t completely work (“Up Close and Personal”) and others that utterly failed (“Righteous Kill,” “88 Minutes,” and “Three Christs”). Avnet restores some of his storytelling skills for “The Last Rodeo,” which isn’t challenging material in the least (he shares a writing credit with Derek Presley and Neal McDonough), but an easygoing underdog story that deals directly with family issues and relationships. Surprises are limited, actually nonexistent, but there’s a bit of heart to the material and a feel for a troubled soul confronting the mistakes in his life, seeking redemption on the back of a bull. “The Last Rodeo” is in definite need of a tighter edit, but Avnet delivers a semi-sturdy character examination with tasteful sports world action. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com