Junior Bonner: Sam Peckinpah Goes...Sentimental?

Okay, so I just re-watched "Junior Bonner" and man, it's a weird one coming from Peckinpah. The blood and guts guy does...a character study about a down-on-his-luck rodeo dude? I'm used to seeing Steve McQueen leap through explosions and crash motorcycles, but here he's mostly just nursing a beer and getting thrown by bulls. Still, I dug it. I think. The whole vibe of the movie is just so... melancholic. Like, the scene where Junior tries to ride Sunshine, that beast of a bull, it's brutal. Not in a gory way, but in a 'holy crap, this guy's body is taking a beating' kinda way. And the way his family's all fractured and chasing dreams that probably won't come true... it's surprisingly affecting for a director known for shootouts. I did appreciate that they still did some actual stunts, even if it was just McQueen taking a tumble. They don't make 'em like that anymore; no green screen rodeo here! I gotta admit, the ending with the boat trip to Australia felt a little out of left field. Like, where did *that* come from? But I guess it fits the overall theme of chasing something that's probably gone. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Anyways, if you're a McQueen or Peckinpah fan, it's definitely worth a watch, just be prepared for something a bit different than what you might expect. Anyone else seen it? What did you think?