"Victory Is Won in the Hard Miles"

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What You Need To Know:
HARD MILES has lots of heart that has viewers rooting for triumph at every moment. The seemingly impossible long cycling journey brings plenty of suspense, and stunning views of the West. Matthew Modine, who plays Townsend, delivers a passionate performance. The entire cast provides lots of support. HARD MILES has a strong Christian, moral worldview about the importance of helping others, working hard and fighting to do the right thing no matter the circumstances. The movie has a strong message about the transforming power of mercy and forgiveness. Sadly, however, HARD MILES has excessive foul language, a few lewd comments and some underage beer drinking. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.
Content:
More Detail:
HARD MILES is the powerful true story of Greg Townsend, a social worker in a juvenile prison Ridgeview Academy, who takes a group of the troubled youth on a 762 mile cycling journey. Grab your tissues as you witness Townsend “lay down his life” to help these young people who have been written off in the system of society’s “throw aways”. The message is a bit marred by pervasive foul language throughout. Biblical caution is recommended for all audiences.
Greg Townsend is a social worker at Ridgeview Academy, a prison system for juvenile criminals. Though into his golden years with physical limitations, he remains an avid long distance cyclist. Desperate to reach the youths, he decides to take them on his next journey, a 762-mile ride from Colorado to the Grand Canyon.
Greg garners support from his reluctant friend, Speedy, played by Sean Astin. Speedy owns a cycling shop and donates materials. Townsend helps the youths build their own bikes. Finally, he takes on the monumental challenge to win approval from his grumpy boss, Skip, played by Leslie David Baker, who played Stanley on THE OFFICE.
Townsend asks his equally committed co-worker, Haddie, to drive the “sag (support) bus,” which carries the necessary equipment needed for the grueling trip. She agrees, only if Townsend agrees to include Ridgeview Academy’s toughest case, Woolbright. With everything in place, Townsend leads his boys into what he believes will be a positive future.
Townsend and Haddie come head-to-head a few times when Townsend pushes the youth beyond their limits. Haddie helps balance Townsend’s extreme behavior as he battles the ghosts of his own abusive childhood. To add to the drama, Townsend’s brother repeatedly calls him from prison to ask him to visit their dying father in hospice.
Townsend teaches his boys to push their pain and anger into the pedals. However, all the cycling in the world does not lend itself as an escape for Townsend. He collapses with a stroke. Townsend is faced with a decision to visit his dying father and make peace with his traumatic past or help the boys finish what they started. The state announces their plans to close Ridgeview Academy and send the youth to a state run facility. The director, Skip, has called them all back to Ridgeview before they complete their ride. The youths, who’ve tasted a bit of freedom and responsibility, now have some decisions to make.
HARD MILES is a movie full of heart that has audiences rooting for triumph at every moment, from beginning to end. It has plenty of Christian, moral messages about the importance of helping others, working hard and fighting to do the right thing no matter what the circumstances of life us brings our way. There is also a soul rattling message about the transforming power of mercy and forgiveness. Also, a social worker says a prayer before a meal calling on God as “Heavenly Father.” The seemingly impossible long cycling journey brings plenty of suspense, and stunning views of the West. Matthew Modine, who plays Townsend, delivers a believable performance. In fact, the entire cast does a good job. Sadly, though, the movie has excessive foul language, a few lewd comments and some underage beer drinking. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.