HARD MILES (2024) review
written by: R.J. Daniel Hanna and Christian Sander
produced by:
directed by: R.J. Daniel Hanna
rated: PG-13 (for strong language, thematic content, suggestive references and some teen drinking)
runtime: 108 min.
U.S. release date: April 19, 2024
After working the festival circuit, “Hard Miles”, an American cycling drama based on a true story, is getting a theatrical release. It’s an inspiring story that most viewers will be unaware of, which is why some of the best sports movies are made. It’s also why some of the best sports movies aren’t about the sport, which is why they resonate with any viewer.
Directed by R.J. Daniel Hanna, who co-wrote with Christian Sander, “Hard Miles” tells the story of a social worker who leads a group of troubled teens on a long-distance cycling expedition from Colorado to the Grand Canyon to empower them, give them confidence, and help them see what else is out there in the world beyond the limits they are used to.
Matthew Modine stars as Greg Townsend, a social worker and avid cyclist who’s worked at Rite of Passage’s Ridge View Academy in Watkins, Colorado, for some 30 years. It’s a school run by the Division of Youth Corrections (DYC) and home to some of the state’s most violent juvenile offenders. Townsend primarily taught welding there, and as we get to know him at the opening of “Hard Miles,” he is looking forward to spending some time off cycling from Colorado to the Grand Canyon. With the help of his colleague, Haddie (Cynthia Kaye McWilliams), he realizes that certain boys at the reform school could really benefit from experiencing what he’s about to embark on as a holistic approach to therapy.
Despite their reluctance, Townsend teaches four male students how to build their own bike and convinces them to follow him on a 762-mile bike trek. Through some simulated and practical training, Townsend is able to coach these boys into as close to riding shape as possible. Haddie follows them in a van for physical and mental support, utilizing her background in psychology. Along the way, Townsend and the four boys have to figure out how to work together and overcome obstacles (and an incredibly challenging crossroad) on their ambitious journey.
In such a story, it’s all about the journey. The audience will no doubt know that there won’t be a fatal injury, nor will this be a story where the team doesn’t meet its goal—or why else tell it?
Hanna and Sander know that what matters in such a story is who the cyclists are. The way the film communicates that and the footage of the actual cycling are the most important things here. A subplot running throughout Modine’s character arc hints at why he can relate to these troubled youth and something personal he’s struggling with. Modine does a fine job conveying Townsend’s internal struggles in his personal life while doing his best to keep these boys on task.
All the actors pedaling on these bikes were actually doing the work in “Hard Miles,” and it shows. There was no green screen or CGI involved. It was all shot in various California locations (such as Death Valley) and eventually the Grand Canyon. In fact, for some of these young actors, the first time they saw the Grand Canyon was on film when their characters first saw it. Talk about getting a natural response. The actors playing the boys (Jackson Kelly, Jahking Guillory, Damien Diaz, and Zach T. Robbins) don’t necessarily look like teens, but they do an excellent job of putting in the work in such a physical role. “Hard Miles” also stars Leslie David Baker (“The Office”) as a facility director and Sean Astin as Speedy (heh), a bike shop owner friend of Townsend’s who winds up sponsoring the trek.
It’s entirely possible that “Hard Miles” will garner attention from “Stranger Things” fans since it stars two alumni from that hit show: Modine and Astin. Ultimately, it’s an inspiring, straightforward story reminiscent of some of the cycling movies from the 1970s and 1980s. The message of trusting in yourself and keeping moving forward is a universal one for any viewer in any situation.
RATING: ***
