The Ride (1997)

Once a reigning champion in the perilous world of rodeo, Smokey Banks has since fallen from grace, his life mired in an intoxicating blend of reckless gambling and relentless drinking. His once-legendary status as a bull rider is now overshadowed by his self-destructive habits, each day resembling a brutal duel with a bull that he's fated to lose. A bizarre twist of fate, however, presents Smokey with a lifeline. After a brawl leaves him at the mercy of the law, he's offered an unlikely choice: face the cold confines of a jail cell or seek redemption at a boy's ranch, teaching the art of bull riding to a spirited group of underprivileged boys. Under this gritty cowboy's reluctant guidance is young Danny, a boy who knows Smokey's past glories and failures better than Smokey himself. Danny, with an enthusiasm as wild and untamed as a rogue bull, requests the fallen cowboy to be his mentor, a request that sets in motion an unforeseen journey of transformation. As Smokey attempts to mold Danny into a bull rider, the teacher-student dynamic begins to blur. The cowboy, once legendary in the rodeo circuit and now a haunted shadow of his former self, finds himself learning far more from the young boy than he could ever have anticipated. The Ride is thus an evocative tale of redemption, where the setting sun of a past life might just herald the dawn of a newfound purpose.

The Ride is a drama movie featuring Michael Biehn and directed by Michael O. Sajbel.

The Ride is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on The Roku Channel, Tubi TV, VUDU Free and Xumo Play and it's also available on Amazon Prime Video, Hoopla and Pure Flix.

It is also possible to buy The Ride on Amazon Video and Vudu.