Bull

14 year old Kris and her younger sister live with their grandmother since their mother is in prison. Her neighbor Abe is a black rodeo cowboy struggling to stay on the circuit despite suffering injuries. He comes home to find Kris had trashed his place with a party. He reluctantly agrees to allow her to work as compensation. Her mother tells her about a plan to buy a double-wide to reunite with the family. They need $3k which they don't have but Kris intends to get it.

I really like these characters who are the stuck in the trash heaps of society. I like Abe's quiet dignity and his self-reliance. Their initial connection is great. He's looking around scared as the little girl is screaming for help. It all has the feel of reality including the girl's low energy quiet performance. The only problem arises in the climatic scene where I had hoped that she could raise her energy output to punch an exclamation point in her performance. She's not really an actual actress. She's only a kid. That's why I like her in the first place.

My wife and I just finished watching this movie last night, our main reaction is how realistic it all feels. Many of the characters are portrayed by unseasoned, or even first-time, actors and it all comes across as authentic. Instead of watching actors play roles it feels like I was actually watching real life unfold.

There are two main characters, the first is Rob Morgan as Abe, former bull rider who now works rodeos as one of the guys who distracts bulls and protects the rider after he is on the ground. He lives in a run-down little house and has chickens in the yard.

The second is local first-time actress Amber Havard as 14-yr-old Kris, she lives down the street with her grandmother and little sister, her mother is in prison but hoping to get out soon. It is clear that Kris has little guidance, doesn't pay attention in school, and is easily influenced by the wrong crowd of boys and men. But she has spunk and gradually decides in what direction her life will go.

The catalyst for the story comes when Kris' dog kills one of Abe's chickens, he scolds her, warns that he will shoot the dog next time, and when he is in San Antonio on a rodeo job Kris and her friends throw a party in Abe's house and trashes it. Being a basically good and caring person Abe gives her a chance, if she will clean up his place and continue to do odd jobs to help out then he won't press charges.

The meat of the story is the bond Kris and Abe gradually form, when her mother gets in yet another prison fight and her release is delayed indefinitely Kris realizes she has little chance of a conventional family life, it appears that Abe will become her unofficial adopted dad. And through it all Kris decides she wants to become a bull rider.

My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library. It was filmed primarily in a local north Houston area called Acres Homes, just 4 or 5 miles NW of downtown

Confused as to why some would think this film contained animal cruelty...!!! Maybe I'm not that tuned into "first world sensitivities and problems".

Strong relational film with convincing characters. Harsh depiction of working class American lifestyle - perhaps that's the focus if you do have societal concerns, one should give focus to.

Steady slow burner that will resonate.

There is a good story here, though by the end we wonder exactly how it will be resolved. Will there be more? No, that's where it ends. We are left to wonder what happened next.

There are no easy solutions, but over time, it appears progress is being made, even with many obstacles. The story could have been told differently, with a more inspirational message, but this is what someone chose to do. We want to see everyone's lives get better. What we mostly see is small victories. Life is hard for everyone and that's just how it's going to be.

Most of the acting is really good. The African American characters seem realistic, with a way of speaking that seems authentic but not racist.

The bull riding looks dangerous.

Rob Morgan is really good, sometimes compassionate, sometimes demanding, sometimes quite angry. But his character has a hard life and he just keeps pushing, with alcohol and prescription drugs to help. At least I think he is using legal drugs, legally. And maybe he has faith (crosses are painted on his cheeks at events, and a cross is on his wall). However, he is never really a loser or a bum. If he's in pain, he just has to do what is needed to keep going. And he at least starts the process of turning a young girl into a bull rider.

Amber Havard is good but not great. She's an ordinary girl rather than an inspiration, and that's fine. We've all seen plenty of inspiring stories. This film is more about a relationship that develops, and she does a capable job of showing that.

Troy Anthony Hogan reminds me of someone, but mostly he just seems real. I'm not really sure what his job is. People like his food and young bull riders train at his place.

Sara Allbright, as a prisoner, is always smiling, no matter what, and seems determined to succeed, but like everyone else, she must face obstacles.

Steven Boyd isn't really a bad guy, but just someone who has to do what is needed to get by. Maybe some won't like what he does (I can probably say it's illegal) but he is nice enough. Not quite a stereotype.

Family friendly? A lot of words were missing. Abe drinks. The grandmother is bitter and uncaring. Drugs are used in a few scenes. Most drug use, however, seems legal and justified. There is a Christian message at times but it's pretty much limited to what I will call Black rodeo, smaller events which are not the ones that make Abe his real money.

If you're looking for excitement, there is some from time to time. But maybe it's better not to expect too much, and just be pleased with what is accomplished.

"Relationships are kind of like riding a bull. You hang on for dear life and sometimes you get a little buck here and there but you get back on." Katy Perry

With all the buzz about realty, it's a joy to see real "reality" in a heartening independent film about rural rodeo and rural poverty in Texas without feeling the least bit cheated that you wasted your streaming cash or that you didn't get a full measure of the toughness of riding bulls and the challenge of surviving outside the fences. As if riding a bull were not the most dangerous game in town! Surviving life is.

Fifteen-year old Kris (Amber Havard-a newbie with loads of understated talent) is a sweetheart of a daughter, whose mom is in prison. She's quiet but wanting to learn, especially from 40-something wrangler-neighbor Abe (Rob Morgan), a seasoned Black cowboy who saves riders from bulls in the ring after the cowboys fall: "How do you know when a rider's about to fall off," asks Kris. "When his head hits the ground," responds Abe. Now that's reality.

Although the speeches are short and the action except for the bulls is minimal, a casual feeling pervades of experiencing another kind of world, i.e., poverty and the rodeo, as well as a worthy teen making some bad decisions but riding toward good ones. That she may someday ride a bull or bucking bronco may be inevitable-she's that smart, determined, and able.

Meanwhile enjoy being with her in her low-key world, where even poverty can't put a good girl down. It's a world writer-director Annie Silverstein and writer-husband Johnny McAllister give us in quiet, honest tones (the sound track's country tunes are perfect). Immersing us in other worlds is what movies do. These days streaming VOD like this is a gift and a virus-balm for us extraverts and for exploring introverts.

Reality check: After being caught early on with friends invading Abe's home, Kris implores the cops: "Can't you just take me to juvie?"