Review: RIDE THE EAGLE Is a Quirky and Personal Story That Kept Me Smiling the Whole Time
I got the chance to check out the film Ride the Eagle ahead of its release this week, and I had such a great time watching this story unfold. The film stars Jake Johnson as Leif, a musician who finds out that his estranged mother (Susan Sarandon) has passed away and left him her cabin in the woods, but only if he completes a list of tasks that she believes will help him in his life.
He goes on this emotional journey with his beloved dog, and it forces him to face his past, as well as a foe in a yellow jacket played by JK Simmons. Each role in this small cast is perfectly acted, and I found myself laughing and smiling throughout the entire film. One scene in which Leif is completing a task given by his mother to reach out to “the one who got away,” I was so captivated by the conversation he had with an old girlfriend, played by D’Arcy Carden. It felt like I was watching the exchange of two friends who had years of history between them even though much time had passed since they last connected.
The story and pace felt perfectly timed, personal and poignant, intimate and hilariously truthful. I highly recommend this well-made, heartfelt film to movie lovers of all kinds.
Ride the Eagle is available in theaters, On Demand and Digital on July 30, 2021.
