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COWBOY: A DOCUMENTARY PORTRAIT

I like Cowboys: A Documentary Portrait because it held my interest and I learned a lot about cowboys that I didn't know before. I like learning about their lifestyle, their customs, traditions and habitat.

This movie documents how cowboys and their families live in some of the most isolated ranches in America and it teaches the audience about the cowboy lifestyle and duties. Being a cowboy is like any other profession, with the difference that it is not an easy job. A cowboy's job is mostly physical. They raise cows and bulls to make a living. They make lots of sacrifices like not being with their family, because they spend a lot of hours working. Even though cowboys work all year, they only get paid once or twice a year.

My favorite part is when a cowboy's young wife shares what it is like to be married to a cowboy. They live isolated and far away from town. It takes her nine hours to drive to town to go grocery shopping. She makes sure her two little children don't get injured, because even the hospital is far away. This movie was filmed at eight different ranches. The aerial shots showing the landscapes are amazing. This film documents the importance and value of being a cowboy, showing the audience how being a cowboy is a profession. It is not just the hat, the boots or riding a horse. It is more than that and it is not easy to be one. The background music is well selected. You should be aware that there are some gory scenes that are not suitable for smaller children.

The theme of this film is to see the cowboys for what they do, not for who they are. People only see their outfits and their horses; they think that's all they are. People don't see they are hard-working professionals that make sacrifices living in isolation, working long hours in the fields. Cowboys are a very important part of this country. Not everybody is born to be a cowboy.

I give Cowboys: A Documentary Portrait 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18 plus adults. This film will be released November 17, 2020. Mark your calendar so you don't miss it!

Reviewed by Ethan P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

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An authentic, intimate depiction of the contemporary cowboy, COWBOYS: A DOCUMENTARY PORTRAIT straps audiences in the saddle alongside working men and women on some of today's largest and most remote cattle ranches in the American West. Told genuinely and reverently through first-hand accounts from cowboys in the deepest, most isolated parts of America, the timeless documentary illustrates not only the rewards of a cowboy's lifestyle but also the unvarnished hardships of a celebrated but misunderstood way of life.

Utilizing their extensive collective backgrounds, co-directors John Langmore (published ranch photographer and former working cowboy) and Bud Force (rodeo cowboy turned award-winning director/DP) provide an aesthetically mesmerizing, sure-handed look at how Western traditions have found a way to coexist with society's modern achievements.