Rank

I saw this movie on IFC on television. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect because I had never heard of the movie before. I was pleasantly surprised. This documentary takes a look at something that I had heard a lot about (growing up in the South), but never really experienced first hand. The "behind-the-scenes" look at how all of the riders prepare, and how the PBR World Championships are actually run was really quite fascinating. (much more so than one might think) The amount of people that follow this sport was one thing that really surprised me. I won't give anything away, but believe me, if you enjoy stimulating documentaries that show an interesting perspective on a type of life that is unfamiliar to most people, you will enjoy this picture immensely.

A very interesting and revealing film; viewers will often feel like they're part of the crowd- wincing and squirming in their seats and hoping that the best man wins.

The film follows three bull riders as they defy death and try for the sport's world championship in Las Vegas and the prize: $1,000,000. Their shared quest- to defeat the bull, not necessarily each other- is not without its consequences for the two US citizens and the reigning, debonair Brazilian.

Rank is also an insightful view into the culture that brings these men to their calling, their homes, their lives, and their convictions.

Rank also has a great soundtrack by Tim Rutili of Califone and Wil Hendricks (Bonnie Prince Billy) and Michael Krassner.

I am in no way a fan of bull riding—or really any sport where concussions are a foregone conclusion. I was hoping this doc would humanize the sport a bit more. I really enjoy a good documentary where they are able to take a subject I have no interest in and show me why the participants need to be doing it... but this documentary didn't do that. The audience is left feeling this is a sad sport (classic imagery is the shot of 4 pieces of confetti falling after the winner is crowned. Or all the empty seats in the stands. Or the fact that none of the men in the stands react to anything. Or the announcer who speaks like a Baptist preacher, begging the fans to pray for an injured rider who's being taken out of the ring on a backboard.) Was this doc sponsored by Smokeless tobacco? There were an inordinate number of cutaways of the logo, the product and people using snuff that you wonder if it was contractually obligated. I was hoping there would be something to connect the riders to the animals who essentially create their livelihood—but there is no respect between rider and bull. Overall watchable, but not a lot of insight into what makes these men risk their lives for sport.