Many viewers will recognize Matthew Modine as the mad scientist in ‘Stranger Things.’ His successful film career spans decades. He started out in teen dramas back in the ‘80s and rose to fame in Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Full Metal Jacket.’ In ‘Hard Miles,’ he plays a counselor at a correctional facility for troubled youth. Working with incarcerated residents takes an individual that can properly balance discipline and empathy. The combination of heartfelt performances and majestic scenery make this inspirational film worth pedaling to at your local theater. ‘Hard Miles’ is a satisfying sports movie with a positive message.
Greg (Modine) is a counselor at Colorado’s Ridge View Academy for juveniles. We see him breaking up fights in the hallway and trying to get through to these broken individuals. Greg’s hobby is long-distance cycling. He comes up with an idea to take four boys on a “Tour de Grand,” a 762-mile bike ride from Ridge View to the Grand Canyon. He convinces clinician Haddie (Cynthia Kay McWilliams) and their boss, Skip (Leslie David Baker) on his harebrained scheme. Skip calls it “hoods in the woods.” Haddie has her doubts but goes along with the plan to follow them in a van with tents, supplies, and food.
It’s uplifting to see the gradual change in the boys. They go from fighting to working as one unit. In cycling, they are taught to be a “peloton” which is a group of cyclists. As the journey progresses, they learn important life lessons from Greg. He wants them to understand that anything worth achieving takes effort along with a little pain. Over the course of the bike ride, they grow emotionally. This tale is based on a true story which makes it even more impactful. Modine is perfectly cast in the role. For an actor in his 60s, he is in great physical condition. Of course, his character also deals with challenges in his life. He has an estranged relationship with his ailing father and faces some health issues along the way.
For this story to work, the teen actors need to be authentic. We get enough of their backstory to understand the issues they struggle to overcome. Smink (Jackson Kelly) deals with an eating disorder. Woolbright (Jahking Guillory) stubbornly ignores Greg’s advice on the road and Atencio (Damien Diaz) plans to abscond the first chance he gets. One of the standout performances goes to Cynthia McWilliams as Haddie. When Greg is too hard on the boys, she counterbalances him with the necessary empathy. As Greg gets to know the boys, he begins to truly care about them.
‘Hard Miles’ achieves what it sets out to do. It is an inspirational sports drama with important life lessons. Cycling represents freedom along the journey to the Grand Canyon. It teaches the boys that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. If you are still on the fence about seeing a movie about teens riding bikes, it has a bigger payoff. It shows how overcoming challenges and exceeding one’s expectations can change a person’s life in the right direction.
