Inspired to Ride (2015) User Reviews

Worth watching just for the cinematography

[markwbingham · 8/10 · 14 June 2016]

Even if you know nothing about cycling, this movie is worth watching. The filming captures some spectacular scenery along a route which was selected for that exact purpose ( as well as being safe for cyclists and having historical value). Innumerable frames from the movie could be made into salable pieces of art.

By virtue of the fact that they're on cycles all day the dialogue is somewhat limited, but not as much as you'd think, and it's thoughtfully edited to include a lot of wry humor and even some suspense. Not guffaw material, but I found myself smiling a lot during the entire show, with out loud snickers in a couple of places.

Having ridden the same route (you can purchase maps from Adventure Cycling Association) I can't imagine completing this route in 17 days. Hats off to anyone who completes it, and to a well-made documentary.

What the Tour de France used to be

[weshasson · 10/10 · 18 March 2021]

I'm a fan of the history of the Tour de France. In the beginning, the Tour was unassisted. They got out there and just did it. That's what these guys did but NOW - in our day. In terms of mental & physical toughness, the upper level finishers in this out did the Tour de France guys. No help. Riding through some nights. Carrying supplies. Doing repairs. Much better than pampered Tour boys.

A Rough Ride

[edkfuller · 4/10 · 18 June 2016]

Ride the Divide (2010), directed by Hunter Weeks, was an enjoyable documentary about the Tour Divide - a self-supported bike race.

In Reveal the Path (2012) Mike Dion takes over as director and the result is a nauseating, self-absorbed waste of time, space, white privilege and everything else. The Path, it turned out, led only to an agonizing movie.

With Inspired to Ride (2015) Dion tries to repeat Weeks's formula but this time we're following the Trans Am bicycle race. The movie has some colorful characters even if they are a bit talky at times.

This film suffers however from a lack of any suspense or drama (Mike Hall wins the race by nearly a full day which I guess is a bit of a SPOILER though it's not as though you didn't see it coming after about 5 minutes into the film). Audio is challenging at times as well. It isn't just the Italians who needed subtitles.

I wanted to like this movie more. The scenery is great, for example but the condescension toward the locals really turned me off.

Which brings us to Juliana Buhring who is, to put it mildly, obnoxious. I'd rather tandem tour with Hannibal Lecter dressed in "Kentucky fashion" than have to watch her. They must have been really starved for scenes to fill time. Seriously though, Juliana - get some therapy.

So Dion shoots a lot of film and then tries to put a movie together in the editing room. It sort of works. Ride the Divide (Weeks) was about a bike race too but its characters felt connected, coherent and part of something larger. Inspired to Ride felt more like watching a handful of individuals working out their personal issues in front of a camera.

Maybe not all of that is Dion's fault but one wonders if every long distance race can be made into a film. Week's formula felt forced onto this movie. After Reveal the Path and Inspired to Ride, Dion might want to keep his day job.