BY KATHY FOX

Life is often described as a journey. A metaphor that captures the essence of the ups and downs, achievements, or challenges that test our resilience along the way. Journeys are also often shared and eight years ago, Jake Allyn, costar of Someone Like You, received a voice note from Josh Plasse, actor and writer, about a small-town American family that took the two of them on the RIDE of their lives.

RIDE, released on June 14, 2024, is an indie film that Allyn starred in, directed, and co-wrote with Plasse about the rodeo, both the sport and the way of life it represents. Allyn, who lives in Nashville and shines as an actor and writer, explained how he got his start in the industry. “It was definitely writing. My dad is a writer, my brother is a writer, so it's kind of the family business. Once I started to get into acting, I realized my best way into acting was writing. Not only being able to write my own rules or create my own projects but writing a lot for every character it's definitely a part of my process.”

The film is captivating from the second it begins. During the opening credits, you shadow a cowboy as he walks to ride, view old photos of bull riders and shining belt buckles, hear the snorts of the bull, and jump into the chute to ride which instantly sends you on a journey of cowboy life. “The photos at the beginning of the movie are not stock rodeo photos but are photos from actors in the movie, C. Thomas Howell and Forrie J. Smith, who are both real-life cowboys. These childhood photos are authentic and not props. The belt buckles and boots are actual cowboy gear too. I'm very proud that we did our best to make a very authentic cowboy movie and a very authentic rodeo story,” said Allyn.

I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE DID OUR BEST TO MAKE A VERY AUTHENTIC COWBOY MOVIE AND A VERY AUTHENTIC RODEO STORY. -JAKE ALLYN

The film has already received accolades. RIDE won Best Movie at the Western Heritage Awards and the Audience Winner at the Dallas International Film Festival. As Allyn accepted the Western Heritage Award his speech gave homage to the cowboy way of life.

TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD FROM A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE DEDICATED TO THE WESTERN WAY OF LIFE AND WITH THIS MANY COWBOY HATS, THIS MEANS THE WORLD TO ME IT’S WHAT THIS FILM STANDS FOR. WHEN I LOOK AT THAT AWARD I SEE MY NAME. MY PARENTS NAMED ME JAKE AFTER KEVIN COSTNER'S CHARACTER IN SILVERADO. SO MY WHOLE CHILDHOOD I WANTED TO BE JAKE WITH THE TWO-GUN RIG. I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO COWBOY. I SEE A 10-YEAR-OLD KID CRAWLING INTO MY PARENT'S BACK SEAT. WHENEVER WE WOULD GO ON ROAD TRIPS WE'D HAVE THIS LITTLE TV AND I'D WATCH LONESOME DOVE THE WHOLE WAY JUST ON REPEAT. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A COWBOY.

I ALSO SEE A YOUNG FILMMAKER CALLING HIS STUNT COORDINATOR TO TELL HIM THAT THE MOVIE AND THE JOB THAT I PROMISED HIM WAS GONE. WE WERE A MONTH OUT FROM SHOOTING AND THE FINANCES HAD FALLEN APART. SIX MONTHS LATER THAT SAME STUNT COORDINATOR DROVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY JUST SO WE COULD SHOOT THIS FILM WITH THE SAME BULL RIDING GEAR THAT WE TRAINED WITH IN LOCKHART. HE WORKED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ON THE MOVIE, ALL IN THE DEAD OF WINTER. HE DID EVERY DIRTY JOB I ASKED OF HIM, NEVER COMPLAINED ONCE AND WHEN WE WRAPPED THE FILM, HE GAVE ME ALL THE CREDIT. I REALIZE NOW THAT THAT IS COWBOY. YOU SEE, MY WHOLE LIFE I THOUGHT I WANTED TO BE LIKE THESE COWBOYS I'D SEEN ON TV. REALLY I JUST WANT TO HELP TELL YOUR STORIES LIKE [STUNT COORDINATOR] JODY STELZIG. -JAKE ALLYN AT THE 2024 WESTERN HERITAGE AWARDS

RIDE hits close to home, having been filmed during live rodeos in Tennessee and Kentucky. It also features Nashville country artists Bones Owens and American Idol star Laci Kaye Booth and local actors Josh Plasse and Scott Reeves, whom Allyn met while working on Someone Like You. The film boasts a cast including former rodeo champions, C. Thomas Howell and Forrie J. Smith, who bring the utmost authenticity to a film made by cowboys for cowboys.

Allyn concluded, “It is a rodeo movie, but bull riding is a metaphor for life. In the movie, life will throw you around, toss you off, and hurt you. You will have heroic moments and tragic moments, but if you just keep it simple at the end of the day, life is just like bull riding. It is about holding on to your family, your values, your way of life, and your identity. I think in one way or another, that is what we are all trying to do, no matter what we do as a profession or a sport.”

RIDE stands for the western way, gives a voice to the quiet cowboy, and reminds audiences that the toughest ride of all is a bull called life. No matter how hard you fight, whether you make it or not, the bull always chucks you. Always. “I am a bull,” Peter said.

RIDE is now showing in theaters near you and streaming online! Follow Jake Allyn on social media at @jakeallyn85 or RIDE at @ride_movie.