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.
