Parents' Guide to Broke

Solid performances from Wyatt Russell and Dennis Quaid can't keep this rodeo drama on its horse. Cinematographically, Broke is beautiful, but not much happens. Yes, True is a wayward rodeo cowboy whose body is beginning to break down. And yes, it seems True, in the present, is caught in a vicious snowstorm and he's trying to survive, stay warm, and prevent his extremities from getting frostbite. So, at least initially, there's a hook. But halfway through, nothing especially revealing or revelatory happens regarding why True is trying to survive a snowstorm and how he got in that predicament in the first place (even though most of this film ostensibly tries to show this).

Too much, perhaps, depends on whether or not True is relatable. For many viewers, this film might feel like a lot of fuss about stakes that aren't that serious or severe. It's a movie about a straight White man who is struggling with an overbearing father, not many career prospects beyond riding horses, and a growing dependency on painkillers. If this story sounds fascinating, then this movie might really hit. Other viewers, though, might find it difficult identifying with True's issues.