Chloe Zhao’s 2017 film The Rider stars Brady Jandreu as modern day cowboy Brady Blackburn. The cast, mostly made up of Native American actors, had little to no previous film experience. But the authenticity and raw emotion from these actors was second to none. This feature will take the audience into the mind of a conflicted young man trying to find his purpose in the world. Loosely based on the life of Jandreu, The Rider begs the question, what is really important in life?

Synopsis(Andy Segerman)

The Rider is a modern day western drama about a young Native American man named Brady Blackburn. Brady is a rising rodeo star until he is sidelined with a bad head injury after one of his rides. Brady tries desperately to fill the void in his life during his long recovery but can’t come to terms with the fact he may never ride again. His best friend Lane Scott (played by himself) serves as a daily reminder to him of what he has to lose. Lane was tragically injured in a car accident that left him severely brain damaged and crippled. Brady believes he was born to be a cowboy so he won’t give up. Just when things are looking up for him, Brady starts to have some more head issues as he had rushed his recovery a bit. He is unable to fully control his right hand due to some neurological issues. Brady won’t give up and with the support of his friends and family remains focused on one thing, getting back on that horse. The Rider follows Brady on his challenging journey back on the saddle. Through several odd jobs and medical roadblocks he finds his opportunity back to rodeo life. But after everything he’s been through will he take it? Watch Chloe Zhao’s masterpiece The Rider to find out.

The Rider is a first person narrative through Brady Blackburns eyes. The audience gets a first hand look at the struggle Brady goes through when his whole world is taken away. We get to see how Brady develops and matures throughout the movie and finds new motivations in life. This film should be considered a drama with slight western undertones. While it isn’t a conventional western, it’s a great example of the modern cowboy and the trials and tribulations Brady faces.

A major theme in The Rider is, as Brady’s father Wayne puts it, playing the cards you were dealt. Brady was dealt with a head injury that could kill him if hit again. This should prevent him from riding again; however, Brady is too determined to give up his passion. Using the poker metaphor, it is like going all in hoping that the last card flipped up is the one you need. Brady is constantly shown what can happen if you don’t fold through his friend Lane Scott. He was a very good horseback rider who also suffered a head injury, but his injury left him in a wheelchair. In the end, Brady realises that he can’t keep riding and folds.

Critical Appraisal

Setting and Lifestyle (Sam Latshaw 1&2) (Jill Klepzig 3&4)

The Rider gives an accurate portrayal of life in a reservation. The movie takes place in present day South Dakota on an indian reservation. It depicts it as a ranching centric community that is poor. If characters weren’t working in a grocery store, they were most likely at the rodeo or working with horses. This is accurate to what an indian reservation would be like in South Dakota. The main group of Native Americans that live in the northern plains are the Sioux. They have a very horse-centric community, which is shown in the film.

The Rider also depicts the reservation as poor, run-down, and sort of neglected. There are many scenes that have dim, fluorescent lighting that makes it look similar to movies with a setting in an urban back alley, sort of like scenes in 8 Mile. It also depicts the father as an alcoholic gambler that can’t save a dime. This type of character is very common in movies about being in tough situations. This fits with the historicity of indian reservations. They were exploited and constantly pressured to move out. This hurt the Sioux and is a reason why indian reservations are the way they are.

In the country, it’s very popular to participate (either involved or just watching) in rodeo. It’s something people look forward to, a place to hang out and enjoy company while watching people try to hang on to a horse as long as possible. In the movie we see how much Brady loved the game and how he won’t let anything get in the way of it. The history of the town and of the ways of the country are being carried with rodeo, since it’s been happening for decades. Carrying on the sport shows how much it matters and that it won’t go away anytime soon because of the amount of attention it gets. Being a rider they experience a thrill along with pressure from family and friends. All together, the history of this sport will long live through the riders and the fans who stick by it.

The relationship a horse has with his owner is an unbreakable relationship when there’s trust between them. In the movie we see how much they care about the horses and how much attention/affection they get. Throughout time Indians and many different tribes depended on their horses to get places and formed relationships and had them for life. This is still being followed to this day and as seen in the movie. When you form a relationship with a horse and click with them because you’ve been by their side for years, some owners mention how it feels like you know exactly what their feeling and it’s reciprocated right back. In the movie we see the caring of a horse, as we’ve seen in many other movies/in past time. 

Myths Challenged (Sam Latshaw 1) (Jill Klepzig 2)

One myth challenged in The Rider is that of the “disappearing Indian.” This myth believes that Native Americans are a dying breed and that they and their culture is “disappearing.” That is disproven in the movie. It shows that many cultural aspects are kept. One thing that is common throughout the movie is prayers. Many of these are, or at least sound like Native American prayers. Sometimes, there is a prayer that is a mix between Native American culture and christianity. There is also the culture around horses that hasn’t died out over time.

There’s a specific stereotype of what people think of when they think of native Americans. People typically lead toward a darker complexion and longer hair from other movies shown and previous pictures they may have seen, and in museums. In the movie we gather some hints that Brady and others may be Native American, even though he may not look like the exact Native American stereotype. We catch an insight when we see Brady being a cowboy in the opening scene, and some other parts in the movie that others may have missed. This myth of Indians’ image doesn’t define you or your way of living, as it doesn’t define Brady or his image because he’s proud of who he is and loves what he’s doing.

Primary Source (Riley Ries)

Ranching culture is extremely important in the film The Rider. Throughout the film we follow Brady, whose identity is wrapped up in the rodeo and ranching scene. After his accident he feels lost and struggles with finding out who he is and what he is meant to do. Brady, however, does not give up on his dreams about being a cowboy and persists through all of his hardships. This leads me to relevant reading and sources. When Native Americans faced the reality of colonization, they had to find a way to integrate into society. The ranching and entertainment industry played a huge role in their new traditions of life. Rodeo culture plays a huge role in keeping Native traditions alive, whether it be the costumes, rituals, or the controlled hunting skills that are put on display for many audiences. Some may even say that rodeos are a great learning tool to educate about Native American culture. Below are two great primary sources (one is a museum exhibit, the other, a journal article). They both explore how Native Americans use rodeos to keep their traditions alive and how they have impacted their society. Although the Legend of Our Times exhibit is no longer up for display, there is still some great information in the preview. The most interesting part of the JSTOR Article to me was the explanation for horse skills. They mention that there are many different methods that Natives use for “breaking” horses. This is directly reflected in The Rider when we see Brady and his father get into an argument about the correct way to break the horses. 

Dyck, Ian. “DOES RODEO HAVE ROOTS IN ANCIENT INDIAN TRADITIONS?” Plains Anthropologist, vol. 41, no. 157, 1996, pp. 205–219. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25669405. Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/25669405 

Civilization.ca – Legends of our times – Native ranching and Rodeo life on plains and plateau. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/rodeo/rodeo01e.html

https://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/rodeo/rodeo01e.html