Laikals The greatest movie ever made..!

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Adeel Hail Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Roxie The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

lavatch In the bonus segment of the DVD of "The Rider," there was a fascinating question-and-answer session with the lead actor Brady Jandreau, who reenacts his own life story in the film. Jandreau described the film as the story of "an Indian cowboy in the heartland of America."But what Jandreau does not mention in the Q&A is how the writer-director Chloé Zhao twisted his biography from a skilled horseman and trainer into a tragic saga of a victim of rodeo violence. The real-life Jandreau seemed optimistic about his life, health, and career in South Dakota. By contrast, the filmmaker turned this remarkable life into a pity party.The film focuses far too much on the head injury of the protagonist and his wrenching decision whether or not to risk his life by returning to rodeo. As if the personal dilemma of the life-and-death situation were not enough, Zhao relentlessly reminds the audience of the hardscrabble, impoverished life, the health of other characters, the death of the mother, the dead-end life in a trailer, and the troubled relationship of father and son.Zhao has some filmmaking skills, as apparent in the beautiful landscape scenes and the training of the horses, which was not simulated in the film. The look of the film had the feel of Terence Malick's filmed poem "Days of Heaven." But it is curious why Zhao would adopt such a limited, one-dimensional view of the life of Brady Jandreau. In the DVD segment, Jandreau described the film as 60% true and 40% fiction. But the fictional part shifted the film to a quasi documentary that would be suitable for a segment of the PBS series "The American Experience." The 100% true-to-life story of Brady Jandreau the Horse Whisperer sounds much more interesting.

DJKwa //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.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU This is a film about Oglala Sioux in the Dakotas today one century or so after the end of the genocide and hardly fifty years after the end of total segregation and ten years or so after the final lawsuit giving all Indian reservations the compensations and « reparations » they were entitled to get after all the treacherous exploitation they have been the victims of. If there is any improvement since Wounded Knee, it is because American Indians have taken their own lives and their own future in their own hands and have decided to claim their heritage and a fair position in society as well as a fair and just independence and freedom on their reservations that are theirs and no one else's. Yet nothing is simple since Trump has managed to authorize the crossing of Indian land in Montana and the Dakotas for a pipeline that has no guarantee not to be a polluting hazard. The film is beautiful and at the same time very sad. Beautiful because of the human feelings these men feel and express for each other and one another. Beautiful because these young men want to stand tall, speak out and be what they dream to be and become. But beautiful too because on this rough road there are accidents and one has to accept one's lot and one's neighbor's lot because that neighbor is a brother of sorts, a brother in humanity and in ambition or dream. When a horse is wounded in a way or another he has to be shot out of misery. But human beings are supposed to cling to life and everyone is supposed to help the wounded man to survive and even live with his dream, even if this dream is now frustrated.This humanity is rare among human beings but it seems to be a rule among these Indians. And the sister and daughter, who is slightly handicapped is made as comfortable as possible and is protected against accidents that could happen in this life, accidents that could come along with harassment or even worse.It is true it is a world of men, and women are not very present in this environment. That's probably the shortcoming of the film because Indian women are essential in this renascence, this rebirth of a nation beyond its annihilation, because they can bring the traditions back, the theater, the dancing, and the music and then women and men are equal and have original contributions that are absolutely complementary. But since the film is centered on rodeo and horse training, it seems obvious women are not very present in this activity. Cowboys are boys and cowgirls have not been born yet. Next generation might change this.This film is a dramatized real story in which the main actors more or less live their own real lives as if they were true fiction, true to life and yet fictional by the dream invested in this true life.Dr. Jacques COULARDEAU

A_Night_In_The_Life The Rider by Director Chloe Zhao. Is the tale of a young upincoming rodeo star Brady Blackburn. (Portrayed by real life inspiration of the film Brady Jandreau) who's career and basically purpose of being comes to a deviating halt. After suffering a horrible head injury. He tries to find new meaning of what life has in store for him. During the run of the film I couldn't help but to be reminded of other movies similar to the one I front of me. (The Wrestler was a big one) the trials of both Physical and mental the main character is faced with. The over whelming feeling of sympathy along with the underlying tale of battling with depression. All of which are familiar. What sticks this film out in both good and bad ways is the casting of non trained actors (it's all jandreau family members and friends playing themselves as far as I know ) a bit distracting at some point but also so real at others making powerful enough to feel the weight the main character is going through such as the case of Brady paraplegic friend. As for the film making aspect, I highly appreciated the use of natural lighting throughout the project. The use of the the sun in the background in some shots were very pleasing to the eye. The shots on site locations where amazing. One Particular scene comes to mind were there is a lightning storm in the background. And the bronco riding scenes were just captured in such a raw way. They demand your attention. Unfortunately, a big down fall by far goes to the audio. Some of the dialect you could barely hear compare to the booming audio dubbed of the sister lily. It really stands out which starts taking you out of the movie. If I could leave you with anything from this film I can say it not the crowd pleaser that I could see the usual movie goer to last through. But it's a story I was grateful to ride out to the end. I give it a 7 out of 10.