Hard Miles (film)

Hard Miles is a 2023 American sports drama film written by Christian Sander and R.J. Daniel Hanna and directed by Hanna. It stars Matthew Modine, Cynthia McWilliams, Jahking Guillory, Jackson Kelly, Damien Diaz, Zach Robbins, Leslie David Baker, and Sean Astin.

Hard Miles
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	R.J. Daniel Hanna
Written by	R.J. Daniel Hanna Christian Sander
Produced by	Christian Sander
Starring	Matthew Modine Cynthia McWilliams Jahking Guillory Jackson Kelly Damien Diaz Zach Robbins Leslie David Baker Sean Astin
Cinematography	Mack Fisher
Edited by	Evan Schrodek
Music by	Andrew Johnson
Production company	Pensé Productions
Distributed by	Blue Fox Entertainment
Release dates	June 13, 2023 (2023-06-13) (Bentonville) April 19, 2024 (2024-04-19) (United States)
Running time	109 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$397,807[2][3]

The film had its world premiere at the Bentonville Film Festival on June 13, 2023, and was released in the United States on April 19, 2024.

Premise

A beleaguered coach named Greg rallies a group of disgruntled teenage inmates of a correctional facility for a transformative 762-mile (1,226 km) bicycle ride from Denver to the Grand Canyon, where they must battle obstacles and each other.^[4]

Cast

• Matthew Modine as Greg Townsend^[5]
• Cynthia McWilliams as Haddie^[6]
• Jahking Guillory as Woolbright^[6]
• Leslie David Baker as Skip Bowman^[6]
• Sean Astin as Speedy^[6]
• Jackson Kelly as Smink
• Damien Diaz as Atencio
• Zach Robbins as Rice
• Jaxon Goldenberg as Young Greg
• Judah Mackey as Young Doug

Production

In June 2022, it was announced that Matthew Modine was cast in the film and that principal photography took place in Los Angeles and Lone Pine, California.^[5] In August 2022, it was announced that Sean Astin was cast in the film.^[6]

Release

Hard Miles had its world premiere at the Bentonville Film Festival on June 13, 2023.^[7] In July 2023, the film screened at Heartland Film Festival where it won the Jimmy Stewart Legacy award.^[8] It screened at Chicago International Film Festival, SCAD Savannah, Cinequest, and Newport Beach Film Festival in October 2023.^[9] The film also won audience awards at the Denver Film Festival the following month.^[10]

In August 2023, it was announced that Blue Fox Entertainment acquired the rights to the film.^[11]

The film was released theatrically in the United States on April 19, 2024.^[4]

According to an announcement from Munro Film, ‘Hard Miles’ will be released on digital platforms including iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon, Sky Store, Virgin Media, Rakuten, Google Play, and Microsoft starting September 2, 2024.^[12]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 28 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A modest vehicle that wears its heart on its sleeve, Hard Miles charters an uncomplicated course towards uplift and arrives with plenty of good cheer still in the tank."^[13] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 70 out of 100, based on four critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.^[14]

See also

• List of films about bicycles and cycling

Further reading

• Ross, Tracy (December 17, 2013). "Can a 700 Mile Bike Ride Save These Troubled Teens from Jail?". Bicycling. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020.
• Lofholm, Nancy (June 15, 2009). "Ride the Rockies: Ridge View cyclists prove mettle — and helpfulness". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.