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Common Sense Note

Parents should know that the movie includes scenes of family tensions, involving a young girl and her parents, and her grandfather. The movie features an early, brief scene where a racehorse stumbles on the track and breaks its leg (this might be difficult for younger viewers). As the movie is set at Kentucky stables and race tracks, some characters use colorful language ("hell" and "damn") and drink at a wealthy owner's home. While the girl is riding the horse, it becomes frightened and runs away in a panic, frightening the girl, who can't stop it (the father has her jump from a galloping horse into his arms, a nearly impossible feat). A jockey shows the girl surgery scars on his shoulders and chest, the result of a riding accident, and explains that he has bad dreams. The primary villain, a white male horse owner, exhibits racism toward Mexican workers. The father and his friend talk about breeding the mare, involving a stallion and a "teaser pony" (this might provoke questions for some kids).

Families can talk about the value and difficulties of pursuing what might seem impossible dreams. They might also consider the film's portrayal of generational conflicts: how does Ben and Pop's longstanding tension affect Ben's relationship with his young daughter?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Cynthia Fuchs

Charming, predictable, and good fun for kids, the awkwardly titled DREAMER: INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY focuses on the loving relationship between a girl and her horse. And it's not just any horse, but a racehorse named Sonadaor (Spanish for "Dreamer"), Sonya for short. Young Cale (Dakota Fanning) feeds Sonya popsicles, and the horse follows her around in the paddock, in adorable, swelling-strings-scored scenes that will delight young viewers.

Cale meets Sonya when the girl spends a work day with her father, a trainer named Ben (terrific Kurt Russell). While running a race, Sonya falls and breaks her leg; in order not to upset his daughter further, Ben refuses to have the horse put down (as the vet and others advise), and instead, buys her from the money-minded owner, Mr. Palmer (David Morse), then puts her in a cast and harness for months, so her leg can heal. "Inspired by a true story" in which the mare was saved for breeding, this film goes the next step, and has Sonya (who proves infertile) soon fit enough to race.

A gruff sort, Ben has trouble showing his affection for Cale, in part because he has a difficult history with his own father, retired trainer Pop (Kris Kristofferson, grizzled as ever). Cale's mother, Lil (Elisabeth Shue) tries to help her husband overcome his disconnection, encouraging him to see the bond developing between Cale and Sonya, as well as Pop's involvement in the horse's recovery.

This bond also inspires devotion from the stable hand Balon (Luis Guzmán) and the jockey Manolin (Freddy Rodriguez), all involved in her remarkable recovery. Perhaps the oddest convert is Prince Sadir (underused Oded Fehr), so wealthy and competitive with his horse owner brother that he's willing to finance a horse running on a recently broken leg.

John Gatins' movie stretches credibility (with a spotty record, Sonador is invited to run in the prestigious Breeder's Cup), but it is sweet as can be, enhanced by gorgeous tracking shots over wide Kentucky expanses, and earnest father-daughter exchanges (and here, Russell is phenomenal, utterly convincing even when saddled with clichéd dialogue that initially sets him against Cale: "She's not a pet," and "Every racehorse is for sale!"). While Cale and Sonya make the movie great for kids, the evolving relationship between Cale and Ben provides some substance for parents too.

Families who enjoy this movie will also like Seabiscuit, National Velvet (with young Elizabeth Taylor, in 1944), and, especially, The Black Stallion.

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