I know what people are going to say. What is wrong with Mark these days watching sloppy films such as The Last Rodeo? I thought he was cool.

Don’t worry everybody, I’m still cool. It was just the strange mood I was in. But I have to say, this is a really good film. If I had something other than stone for a heart, I might even have got teary eyed at times.

I’d argue that the central theme of this film is intergenerational love. A grandfather’s love for his grandson and the love of a father for his daughter. The first few scenes establish the warmth in the grandfather (Neal McDonough) grandson (Mykelti Williamson) relationship. Things turn a bit more frosty when the daughter/mother shows up. She doesn’t want the young lad to become a rodeo, it seems she has the only brain cells in the family.

Things take a dark turn when it’s discovered that the grandson has a brain tumor that requires an immediate operation costing a lot of dosh. So much dosh, it will bankrupt the family. And no, European, the solution is not universal healthcare.

The grandfather needs to rodeo again, and win, of course!

It’s the American dream! Despite his old age and infirmity, it’s a go!

What follows is lovely, heartwarming story about love, and the will to win. Except, he comes second. I think they knew they could only get people to suspend realism so much. It’s okay, the rodeo competitors all chip in and the boy is saved.

This film gets four stars out of five for me.