Review: Scott Eastwood in The Longest Ride

NEW YORK (WABC) -- When a son chooses to follow in the footsteps of his movie star dad, comparisons are inevitable, so I went to see "The Longest Ride" wondering how Clint Eastwood's son Scott would stack-up against his famous father.

Let's all agree right from the start - Scott Eastwood looks great, and he's so easy on the eyes you needn't be embarrassed if you want to see "The Longest Ride" just to see him.

Bull riding isn't seen that much in movies. More than forty years have passed since the late Steve McQueen played Junior Bonner. Then, as now, the question remains when to quit because the sport can kill ya.

In this film based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks, the cowboy and his college gal-pal come from different worlds.

A chance encounter with a World War II vet introduces another story about the challenges of staying in love. Alan Alda plays a man still mourning his late wife.

The present and past tales really play like two separate films that even a fine director like George Tillman Jr. can't pull together. And he's hampered by two performers who look better than they can act.

I'm willing to give Scott Eastwood the benefit of the doubt for now because it took time for his dad to become a good enough actor to earn an Oscar nomination. As to the more pressing question of whether or not you should pay money to see The Longest Ride? Well, this is a classic 'wait-until-it-gets-to video' movie.