Review of The Rider (2018) by Ahmedaiman9999 — 16 Aug 2018

There is a lot to like about The Rider; The cinematography is gorgeous, with a lot of shots showing the treeless meadows that reflect the protagonist's feeling of loss and emptiness.

Brady Jandreau's acting is so genuine and honest.

There are some truly great moments that will make you instantly engaged with every character in them. I don't even want to say anything about these scenes, I don't even want to mention the characters they include, because they are unbelievably effective and very poignant.

The movie's message of perseverance and determination also should be considered and appreciated.

The grave issue I have with this movie is its tone.

I love character-driven stories, because they make me close to the main character. In other words, they put me in the protagonist's shoes, or even make me inside his mind. But The Rider's tone is so lifeless, and the story is almost uneventful. Of course, the movie should reflect the gloominess and bleakness of its subject matter, but the tone doesn't pick up even when the story do. Add to that, the movie lacks in dramatic intensity. Aside from some very touching scenes that can break your heart even if you haven't seen the entire film, the movie is so boring and phlegmatic. Honestly, I was bored most of the time while watching it. The dialogue also could have been better. it's so weak and clichéd.

All the performances are good, especially Brady Jandreau as Brady Blackburn, except for the actor who played his dad. His acting is very weak as his bland and flat character.

I had mixed feelings about The Rider. I found it monotonous, and I was bored to death. Nevertheless, I cared about the main character and almost every character around it, I appreciated its message, I was fascinated by its stunning cinematography, and I adored its tear-jerking ending.