The Longest Ride (2015)

The film The Longest Ride (2015), directed by George Tillman Jr. and written by Craig Bolotin, follows the story of Luke Collins, a professional bull rider who crosses paths with Sophia Danko, an art student at Wake Forest University, at a PBR event. On their first date, they come across a car crash in the woods and together rescue an elderly man and a box of letters from his vehicle. At the hospital, Sophia meets the 91-year-old man, Ira Levinson, whom she helped save. He shares that the letters are his teenage writings to his late wife, Ruth. Seeing that Ira is unable to read them himself due to his failing eyesight, Sophia offers to do it for him. Through the letters, she learns about their love story that began in 1940. In flashbacks, a young Ruth expresses her desire for a large family while Ira eventually proposes before leaving for World War II.

After being shot during an attack, Ira is given the heartbreaking news that he cannot have children. This causes a rift between him and Ruth upon his return. Despite this, they make the decision to move in together and decorate their home with beloved paintings. In present day, Sophia continues to visit Ira in his nursing home. Meanwhile, Luke pursues his passion for bull riding and falls deeply in love with Sophia. They attend an art exhibit together, but Luke finds it uninteresting and doubts the compatibility of their relationship. Seeking guidance, Sophia turns to Ira who shares the story of how he and Ruth overcame their differences. Flashbacks reveal that Ruth, a teacher, formed a strong bond with her student Daniel McDonald after learning she and Ira could not conceive children of their own.