In "The Last Rodeo," Cody Wainright's parents do not initially think it is a big deal when their son gets hit in the head by a baseball. They soon learn, however, that he is suffering from more than a concussion. He has a brain tumor, and they cannot afford to pay for his treatment.
Cody's Grandpa Joe, a long-retired Professional Bull Rider (PBR) champion, decides to get back on the beast that nearly killed him for a chance to win the $750,000 prize.
Longtime Hollywood actor Neal McDonough (pictured above), who wrote and stars in the film, likens it to "Rocky on a bull" and hopes it will speak to families, especially those that have been pulled apart by a hard fall or two.
"That's what we really talk about in this film – to have a fractured relationship and to build it through faith and come together by the end," he summarizes. "That was the goal of the film, and we achieved it."
Meanwhile, Hollywood has gotten in the habit of putting out million-dollar action remakes or dark stories featuring cynical characters and bleak, sleazy settings.
"If you love films like this, you've got to go to the movie theater, you gotta buy tickets, you gotta support and really tell Hollywood, 'I'm getting tired of all the dark, crazy stuff you make. I really want to see films where I can bring my kids to,'" McDonough insists.
McDonough has been acting for 35 years and has been in 144 movies. "The Last Rodeo" features his first on-screen kiss, which he shares with his co-star and real-life wife, Ruvé McDonough.
The movie opens on Memorial Day weekend.
