8 SECONDS (1994)

I thought I'd find a theme in movies with the numeral eight in the title and that were about time. I found no theme really, except the number "8," and that's more a coincidence than a theme. "8 Seconds" is better than "88 Minutes," and not just because it's faster. It also is simpler, plainer, more honest, and has a lot more heart.

It is a an open-hearted homage to a man who rode bulls for a living for a very short time, but apparently rode them better than anyone had ever ridden them before.

Lane Frost appears to have been a very special man, a hero, not just because he could take a beating on top of 1,500 pounds of angry, bucking muscle for eight seconds or more, but also because he never lost his joy and his openness, his friendliness and his faith in others.

Lane Frost died in the arena in Cheyenne, Wyoming, when a bull named Taking Care Of Business gored him, breaking a rib that punctured his heart. He had ridden the bull the requisite eight seconds, dismounted and was walking away when the bull charged him. He was 25 years old.

The movie celebrates his life the way he celebrated every moment. There is a nice tension as he continues to try to please his father, never quite getting the full measure of his father's love. Cynthia Geary gives a very nice performance as the only woman he ever loved, and he loved her well, even though he strayed. She stayed with him through it all.

Luke Perry, who probably suffers from having done "Beverly Hills, 90210," is very good as lane Frost. He surprised me because I don't expect much from him after the "90210" experience. That is what I mean by he probably suffers from it.

John Avildsen directed it. He has directed some classics in a very low-key, workmanlike way. He is very respectful of the material, always sees through to character, beyond the glitz, and, having been an editor, he tells a good story very well. He directed "Rocky," the first one, the good one. He also directed "Joe" -- a somewhat overlooked film from 1970 starring Peter Boyle. They are all working class films about working class people and they are made in that honest, simple way that can't help but be appealing. But, they often are overlooked because people are looking for the glamour.

This film, "8 Seconds," is a purely American story, overflowing with purely American sentiment, and it works because it is simple and plain and has a great big heart. That's enough for me.