Professional bull rider Luke Collins meets Sophia Danko, an art student at Wake Forest University, after she attends a PBR event. On the way home from their first date, they spot a car crash in the woods and help rescue an elderly man from the vehicle, along with a box full of letters.
In the hospital, Sophia visits the 91-year old man she rescued, Ira Levinson. He explains the letters are what he wrote as a teen to his late wife, Ruth, and she offers to read them to him, which tell the story of how they met and fell in love in 1940.
In flashbacks, Ruth tells a young Ira that she wants a big family, and he eventually proposes to her before leaving to fight in World War II. However, Ira is shot during an attack and is later informed that he can no longer have children, news that causes distance between Ruth and Ira when he returns. Regardless, they decide to make it work and move in together, decorating the house with many paintings that Ruth and he love.
Back in the present day, Ira is moved to a nursing home where Sophia continues to visit. Luke continues bull riding as Sophia and he fall in love. He attends an art exhibit with her, which he finds uninteresting, and they realize how different their two worlds are; Luke says he does not feel their relationship will work.
Sophia and Luke are contacted by Ira’s attorney who tells them that he has died and an auction will be held for his collection of paintings. Meanwhile, Luke wins his last ride, and the event championship, but feels disappointed because Sophia is not there to share it with him.
Going to the auction, Luke buys the first piece of art, a simple painting by Daniel “Portrait of Ruth”. He and Sophia reconcile with a kiss after he tells her he will not ride anymore because what he really wants is to be with her for the rest of his life. The auctioneer then reveals Ira’s clause in the auction rules was: whoever buys Daniel’s portrait will receive the entire collection, worth almost $200 million, as it is the piece of art that meant the most to him.
A year later, Luke and Sophia, now married, have built an art gallery dedicated to Ira and Ruth and their paintings. He takes her to Black Mountain College where Ira and Ruth used to spend their wedding anniversary. They sit under the same tree and read Ira’s letters together. Watch The Longest Ride full movie to experience the emotional journey of love and sacrifice.