Urban Cowboy 1980 2 ½ Sweet Pickles
Pride, stubbornness, and pig-headedness are all central themes in this movie. The consequences of living only for ourselves can be extreme and severe. This movie led the viewer through the mire of pride, leaving us with a glimmer of hope at the end that it can be overcome.
Bud (John Travolta) rolls into Pasadena, Texas, a man (boy essentially) who’s lived in a small town without the lure and excitement of the bigtime. He connects with his uncle and family and goes with them to a honky tonk called Gillies, and there gets a taste for the life of a true cowboy. He’s proud and naïve, almost immediately making reckless and brainless decisions. In spite of that, or maybe because of that, he attracts the attention of Sissy (Debra Winger), an equally headstrong and beautiful woman. They fall for each other, get married quickly, and start their life together. But that alas is not the end of the story.
Bud is old school in his values and how he sees a woman’s role, while Sissy wants to push the boundaries of what a woman can and is expected to do, especially when they both take an interest in bull riding. This causes friction in their relationship, especially when Sissy attracts the attention of bad boy bull rider Wes (Scott Glenn). Their pride and immaturity lead them further away from each other, not resolving their differences, but instead pitting them against each other, ultimately leading to their separation and filing for divorce. Reckless alliances are formed, new relationships are formed, and destructive choices are made on both sides. Wes and Sissy end up together, and his brutality and cruelty breaks her. Bud is living it up, but he feels empty and unhappy.
One thing that brings him enjoyment is his relationship with his uncle and their lessons in bull riding. His uncle talks to him about the importance of family and belonging to something and someone, pushing and encouraging him to make amends with Sissy. As he says, Pride will ultimately destroy you and what you love most. His uncle sadly is killed in a freak accident at work, prompting Bud to do some soul searching. The last scene of the movie features a showdown between Bud and Wes, a reconciliation with Sissy, and what hopes to be a maturing of both parties.
I cannot support the choices or condone the actions of the characters, but the movie itself was interesting in the sense that it explored our human nature and the destructive ramifications of what pride can do left unchecked. Living a life seeking to love, serve, and understand the needs of others is the way to go, and we know that this is found in the person of Jesus.
