Displaying items by tag: Mykelti Williamson

THE LAST RODEO

US, 2025, 116 minutes, Colour.

Neal McDonough, Mykellti Williamson, Sarah Jones, Christopher McDonald,

Graham Harvey, Ruve McDonough, Daylon Swearingen.

Directed by Jon Avnet.

The Rodeo is a great tradition of the American south and west. The raiding of the bulls, the skill of the riders, balance, control, the bulls in motion, the 8 seconds, achievement – and, those assisting, those protecting the riders after falls, and the roar of the crowd.

And, it is all here in this story of a past champion, Joe Wainwright, some flashbacks to his achievement, memories of severe injuries and care, but now a proud grandfather, encouraging his grandson, Cody, riding a bull, playing baseball, especially with the disapproval of his mother, Sally, all indicating that this will be a story of family, love, clashes about being protective and overprotective…

But, a dramatic turn – and the audience will immediately see where this will go. Which doesn’t really matter because the audience will be on side for a happy ending, no matter what the difficulties. Yes, the screenplay is emotional, perhaps at times it is manipulating our response, but this is what this kind of earnest film intends. (And one wonders whether the anti-sentimentalists would really like it to end unhappily!)

Neal McDonough has been a character actor for many years and is obviously committed to this project, taking the central role of Joe, cowriting the screenplay, and producing it with his wife, Ruve McDonough, who also appears as his wife. Graham Harvey has a solid role as the grandson, the onset of his illness, the need for surgery, his mother, concerned but having to face more realities. Sarah Jones is his mother.

So, grandfather Joe decides that he will enter the upcoming rodeo in Tulsa, enlisting the help and support of his old friend, Charlie (Mykelti Williamson), a good man, past injuries, help from Joe, a sense of humour and a strong sense of faith.

There are some difficulties along the way, especially in registration, making demands of an old friend now a manager, Jimmy Mack, played by Christopher McDonald. So, quite a number of scenes of Joe making demands, the young riders sometimes supportive sometimes scoffing, the excitement of the rides themselves, the physical repercussions for the riders, the desperate competitiveness and Joe’s single-minded determination to win and get the money to cover the surgery expenses for Cody.

This is a film from Angel Studios whose philosophy is to make films for the family and films with faith dimensions. Charlie is the man of faith here, comfortable with God-talk, with his Bible. Joe, on the other hand, is the American Stoic, the tough male, rather humourless, determined not to take charity from others because self-sufficient, but having to learn that life’s events are not just about him, but he has to think of others, appreciate others, become open to receiving help in love. To that extent, this is an Angel Studios faith film.

Somebody rightly commented that with grandfather, daughter, grandson, this is a family film for each of the generations.

1. The status of the rodeo in American culture? Texas, Oklahoma…? Skill of the riders, the popularity with the audience?
2. The title, the tone, Joe and his age, career, past champion? The family situation, his daughter and grandson, their talents and ambitions? The brain tumour, his wife, Cody, insurance, the cost of the surgery? His determination to ride and win?
3. The setting, Edna as a Texas town, homes, streets, the landscapes? The musical score?
4. The flashbacks, seeing Joe and his achievement? With Charlie, Charlie’s wife, with Rose? The happy memories? The story, the travels, Rose and her tumour, her death? Joe and his helping Charlie? Helping Jimmy Mack? Sally and her having to look after her father, his desperate injuries? Cody, no explanation of his father, his age, ambitions to ride the bull, his mother’s disapproval, baseball, the ball hitting his ear? The diagnosis, MRI, the brain tumour, the need for surgery, the cost? Not enough insurance?
5. Joe, his character, Stoic, American tough, macho male, not wanting help from others, lacking humour? Emotional investment in his grandson? The clashes with his daughter, yet love? His decision to go into the competition, having thrown away the invitation, the difficulties?
6. Sally, her age, experience, skills in the past, the death of her mother, caring for her father, her son, protective? Response to his illness, the MRI, hospital, present at the hospital, clashing with her father, yet watching his performance, phone calls, his visit with Charlie, the reconciliation, the reflections about their past?
7. Joe and his going to Charlie, their past, Charlie and his wife, happy life, his past injuries, helping Joe, Joe and not responding, the long years of silence, Charlie hurt? His response to Joe’s proposal, laughing, helping, travelling with him, camping out in the van, Joanne Charlie and the pressure on the organisers, with Jimmy Mack, past memories?
8. Joe, determination, arriving, not taking no for an answer, the registration, with Jimmy Mack, Jimmy able to organise, Jo’s acceptance, the encounter with the young riders, there disdain, Billy Hamilton and the rivalry, some hostility from the others?
9. The rodeo sequences, the various riders, the eight seconds, surviving, falling, the scores, Joe and his ride, succeeding? The buildup to the second ride and his achievement, the re-ride? The scores?
10. Joe and his behaviour, the phone call from his daughter, the lead up to the fight, the police, questions about his eligibility to ride? Joe, the pressure about Cody and another operation, Charlie and his persuading Jimmy Mack to lend the plane? The ride, the visit, the storm, the return?
11. The commentators, Jo resenting Jimmy Mack knowing about Cody? Charlie and the news, the commentators, Jimmy setting up an appeal for Cody, the crowd and the one-minute silence of prayer for Cody?
12. The final ride, Joe’s achievement, falling, concern about his welfare? And the transition to 6 months later without knowing the result?
13. Six months later, the family, Cody playing baseball, well again, Sally and her supportive presence? Joe, happy, the reconciliation? Charlie and his wife happy, Charlie getting the prize of the truck? That Joe came second, the surgery expenses covered, and his donation of the rest of the money to the hospital?
14. A film from Angel Studios, the Faith dimension, Charlie, career, talk about God, the opening of the Bible, the support of the Psalm verse, Joe and his resentment towards God, and Charlie’s telling him it was not about him but about everyone else, Joe, religious moment, the crucifix? A family film? A faith film?

CLEAN

US, 2021, 94 minutes, Colour.

Adrian Brody, Glenn Fleshler, Richie Merritts, Chandler Ari DuPont, Mykelti Williamson, RZA.

Directed by Paul Solet.

1. The title, expectations? The central character’s nickname? Working as a cleaner, the focus on the rubbish, saving some for repair, disposing of the rest? The rubbish on the New York streets? The imagery of the human rubbish on the streets, the need for cleansing the streets? The criminal gangs, working with the fish, smuggling the drugs, needing for cleansing? Michael, crime boss, brutality, going to church, confession, wanting some spiritual cleansing? The final mission for Clean?
2. The New York streets, the neighbourhoods, at night, the darkness, the thugs in the street, the violence, the abandoned homes, the absence of families and children? The close-ups of the streets and the driving, the overviews of the lights at night? Atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The central character, nickname of Clean, collecting the rubbish, driving, repairing the hoover, going to the pawn shop, the encouragement of the pawn shop, his living alone, preparing the food, the contact with Dianda, her grandmother, the conversations, the food, his going to the groups, listening? His visit to the barber, the wise advice, the friendship? His observing life around him?
4. The enigma of his character, not knowing at the end and his reputation and action, his flashbacks, embrace and the little girl, the deaths?
5. The thugs in the street, his pursuit, his being bashed, the hospital, not wanting painkillers? Continuing on? Continued repairs? The encounter with Michael, the stench, taking away the rubbish, including the body, not taking payment?
6. Michael, the gangsters, the family, his subservient wife, disappointment with his son, wanting to make a man of him, the son getting out of jail, with his friends, the music, his father’s disdain? The confrontation with the Chinese, the smuggling of the drugs, not enough? The brutal murder, disposing of the body? The contrast with him being at church, listening to the gospel, later going to confession?
7. Dianda, her age, going to school, with her grandmother, the grandmother’s reaction to Cleag? Her going off, with the group, Clean finding her, the drink and the drugs, Michael’s son present, the filming, his weapon, his bashing the men, including Mikey? Mikey, the doctor, warming to his father? His father not taking him to hospital?
8. The buildup to the confrontation, Clean taking the grandmother and Dianda, seeing the corrupt policeman, Michael setting the bounty, the policeman and his pursuit, Clean and his evasion, at the diner, the women going to the toilet, his getting another truck, the thugs arriving, the confrontation?
9. Clean, going to the pawnbroker, buying the guns, the flare? In the truck, driving into the house, the shootouts, the massacre, the confrontation with Michael, Mikey coming in, bandage, the gun, shooting his father, no more bullets for Clean?
10. The aftermath? The women? Clean and his future?
11. American violence, focus, drug dealing, guns, vigilantes’ action, vigilantes’ justice, violence and brutality?