Hank (Kiefer Sutherland) and Ely Braxton (Marcus Thomas) are two brothers who work the professional rodeo circuit. And while Ely follows in the tradition of their dad (Pete Postlethwaite), a champion bull rider, Hank earns his living as a rodeo clown. So when Ely is seriously injured, everyone from his brother to his mother (Melinda Dillon) to his girlfriend (Molly Ringwald), prays he decides to retire from the deadly sport. But Ely is reckless by nature, whether it be moving in on Hank's woman (Daryl Hannah) or agreeing to ride Zapata, the killer bull no one's been able to conquer.