Real McCoy (2001)

• 62%
• 2001
• Documentary
• Daniel Carey

Called a "rock 'n' roll rodeo movie" with its driving soundtrack and spectacular footage, REAL MCCOY takes us behind the scenes of a sport that is an indelible part of the American psyche. Shot entirely on film, this documentary - a rodeo 101 of sorts - introduces us to the players of a sport that is flirting with extinction, even as it tries to move into the modern arena of big business sports entertainment. Some of the players we follow in the 2000 season include Fred Whitfield, the first African-American to capture rodeo's coveted All-Around title; Hollywood Yates, a rodeo clown and bullfighter who is plotting a career move to professional wrestling; and Mike Moore and Kagan Sirett, young bull riders struggling to make their way in a brutal, unforgiving sport. We learn there is no safety net for those who don't succeed: injuries leave riders stranded without a means of income; profit margins are dangerously thin; and serious bodily harm lurks as an ever present possibility. Before the season is over, some will prevail, but many will be left by the side of the road. This well-crafted film allows us to study and admire the grace and will of the many men who earn their living loving what they do. Rodeo, a modern version of a timeless subculture, is a sport that cuts to the heart of our national identity. Yet we're reminded that its carnival past is precariously at odds with the streamlined packaging of television - and something must go. New York-based director/producer Daniel Carery is an award-winning alumnus of NYU's Graduate Film Program. Recent credits include Manchester United: Beyond the Promised Land, The Road to Brookline and Brave in the Attempt.