COLLIDER: Matthew Modine Leads a Ragtag Bicycle Team to the Grand Canyon in 'Hard Miles' Trailer [Exclusive]
March 4, 2024
The uplifting cycling dramedy based on a true story rides into theaters in April.
After taking part in one of the biggest cinematic events of last summer in Oppenheimer, Matthew Modine is ready to put in some Hard Miles. He stars in the upcoming inspirational film from RJ Daniel Hanna as Greg Townsend, a beleaguered coach at Rite of Passage’s RidgeView Academy who leads a ragtag team of incarcerated students on the cycling trip of a lifetime. Comedy and drama mix as the coach and his boys battle everything from heatstroke to a chafed crotch in their emotional journey to prove they are capable of earning forgiveness and taking agency in their lives, even when the going gets tough. Collider can exclusively unveil the official trailer that shows the team coming together to overcome the incredible odds ahead of them in this uplifting feature based on a true story.
Townsend tries to be more than just a coach as he fights for the students of RidgeView to be given a chance. The trailer shows that the minimum security correctional academy he works for is struggling to prove its worth, however. Working with Skip Bowman (Leslie David Baker), he needs to show that their program can succeed in changing the lives of the troubled kids who come through their doors. He suddenly gets the idea to put his love of biking to work and prepares bicycles for several students to ride from Denver to the Grand Canyon, a 1,000-mile gauntlet that will push them to their limits. The plan enthuses none of the boys and the training only proves that they aren't the dedicated cyclists Townsend is, but he promises that they will "become one" with their bikes by the time they reach their destination.
Hard Miles isn't afraid to lean into the comedy that comes with a gaggle of teenagers trying, and failing, to get used to their bikes. Modine's Townsend shows, however, that the group can be an effective team despite appearances. Despite the reservations of social workers about the safety of such a trip, the trailer shows its emotional heart as the team fights through urban roads, mountains, and even the desert to reach the canyon. It's not easy - they endure bumps and bruises, fight with each other, and doubt that Townsend's vision for them is wise. By the end of the journey, however, they'll become a tight-knit group that pushes each other forward with camaraderie and a bit of butt butter.
While the film focuses on the kids, Hard Miles will show that their coach has a lot of growing to do as well. Modine, known for his roles in Full Metal Jacket and Cutthroat Island alongside an Emmy-nominated turn in And the Band Played On, plays a conflicted Townsend who is trying to find a way to make amends with his dying father. The feature is also his journey to learn how to apply his coaching lessons to his own life and become a better role model for his students.
Modine isn't the only star in the uplifting project. He's joined by The Office veteran Baker alongside Cynthia Kaye McWilliams and fellow Stranger Things alum Sean Astin with Jahking Guillory, Jackson Kelly, Damien Diaz, and Zachary T. Robbins playing the four students on the trip. In addition to directing, Hanna co-wrote the script with producer Christian Sander, while Scott Sander executive produces through their Pensé Productions banner.
Hard Miles cycles into theaters on April 19. Check out the exclusive trailer below.
