Poster © Angel Studios. Shown at reduced size for review and commentary.
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GenreDrama
RatedPG
Runtime1 hr 56 mins
ReleasedMay 23, 2025
StreamingSee Where to Watch
DirectorJon Avnet
StarringNeal McDonough, Mykelti Williamson, Sarah Jones
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The Last Rodeo (2025)
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| TTMDB | +Add to Top 8 |
| The Last Rodeo's Details | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Rated | PG |
| Released | 05/23/2025 |
| Streaming | See Where to Watch on this page. |
| Running Time | 1 hr 56 mins |
| Budget | $8M (reported) |
| Box Office | Updated daily from Box Office Mojo. See the numbers below. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| The Last Rodeo's Interests | |
| General | Bull riding, belt buckles, arena dirt, insurance waivers, family you have not called in a while. |
| Music | Jeff Russo |
| Movies | 8 Seconds (1994). The bull riding classic. Rocky Balboa (2006), one more round for the old champ. |
| Television | Yellowstone. Same cowboy hats, way less family harmony. |
| Heroes | Joe. Old bones, bad neck, zero quit. |
| The Last Rodeo's Crew | |
| Director | Jon Avnet |
| Writers | Neal McDonough, Jon Avnet, Derek Presley |
| Producers | Darren Moorman, Stephen Preston, Ruvé McDonough, Neal McDonough, Jon Avnet, Kip Konwiser |
| Cinematography | Denis Lenoir |
| Music | Jeff Russo |
| Edited By | Tom Costantino |
| Production | Brooklyn Films, The McDonough Company, Red Sky Studios |
| Distributed By | Angel Studios |
The Last Rodeo is as predictable as a sunrise, and that’s kind of the deal. Neal McDonough, who also co-wrote and produced it, plays Joe, a retired bull riding champ whose riding days ended with a broken neck. These days, his grandson needs brain surgery that insurance won’t pay for, and the only fix Joe can see is a legends competition run by the Professional Bull Riders, where he’d be the oldest rider ever to enter. Meanwhile his daughter, who put her own life on hold to care for him, is still carrying that weight. The earnest performances and old-school sincerity do the job, though, and nobody here is winking at you. Opening-night crowds gave it an A CinemaScore. It made $15.2 million worldwide on a reported $8M. A 6.2 because it’s predictable and big-hearted in equal measure. $9,766 says you lean left and right on the couch during the final ride like you’re the one on the bull.
What works: Neal McDonough plays Joe with sincere grit, and the family story is told with the kind of old-fashioned warmth that crowds clearly felt.
What doesn’t: The story is completely predictable, and its safe, by-the-numbers storytelling never risks a single surprise.
Who it’s for: Families who want a clean, sincere sports drama, and anyone who grew up watching rodeo on TV.
Spoilers
The real payoff is not the competition but the family: Joe and his estranged daughter finally work through the old wounds his injury left behind.
Joe (Neal McDonough) was a bull riding world champion until the day a bull broke his neck. Years later his grandson needs an expensive brain surgery, and neither Joe's veteran benefits nor the family's insurance will pay for it. So Joe signs up for a Professional Bull Riders competition open to former legends, with seven hundred fifty thousand dollars going to the winner. If he rides, he will be the oldest contestant ever. He also has to face his estranged daughter, who gave up her own dreams to care for him. Mykelti Williamson and Christopher McDonald costar. Jon Avnet directs. One hundred eighteen minutes, eight seconds at a time.
Grandpas who refuse to sit this one out. Bring a helmet and a good chiropractor.
| Neal McDonough | Joe Wainright |
| Ruvé McDonough | Rose Wainright |
| Mykelti Williamson | Charlie Williams |
| Christopher McDonald | Jimmy Mack |
| Sarah Jones | Sally Wainright |
| Daylon Swearingen | Billy Hamilton |
| Irene Bedard | Agisa Williams |
- (cur | prev) 14:30, 19 October 2026 DataBot +520 Numbers refreshed: Worldwide box office $15.2M; Domestic box office $15.2M; Opening weekend $5.4M; Profit / loss (est.) -$4.4M; Rotten Tomatoes 70%; CinemaScore A; box office chart updated; Rotten Tomatoes critics 70% (40 reviews); Metacritic 61 / 100; Rotten Tomatoes audience 94% (1,000+ verified ratings); CinemaScore A; IMDb users 6.4 / 10 (3,967 votes); movie.guru score 6.9.
- (cur | prev) 12:00, 19 October 2026 DataBot +2,000 Profile created from Wikipedia and Box Office Mojo: cast, crew, release dates, budget, official trailer.