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Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that despite a few corny lines, this is a wholesome family movie with heart that's guaranteed to appeal to horse-loving kids. Although Katy's rebellious nature is at the core of the story (which is based on the classic kids' novel My Friend Flicka), there are consequences to her actions, and her family comes together at the end and learns to communicate in a respectful way. There are refreshingly few references to sex (it is an animal movie, after all), and few instances of crude or cringe-worthy behavior.
Families can talk about the best way to communicate. Is it better to get things out in the open instead of letting them fester? Why? Why is it important to see other people for who they truly are, rather than what you want them to be. Also, should Katy have adopted the wild horse against her father's wishes? How could she have handled her rebellious nature in a more respectful manner? Why was it so important for her father to try to save the ranch?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Jane Boursaw
We've seen this movie before: Girl has dreams, adopts a horse/dog/pig/whatever, and has to battle the adults in her life at every turn. But behind this particular story is the classic Mary O'Hara novel My Friend Flicka, which also inspired the original 1943 movie. In that version, Roddy McDowall starred as Ken McLaughlin, a boy who wants desperately to please his father, but manages to do the complete opposite. To teach him some responsibility, his parents give him a colt to care for.
This time around, Alison Lohman stars as Katy McLaughlin, a headstrong 16-year-old who lives with her family on a modern, working ranch in a remote area of Wyoming. She's the only daughter in a long line of ranchers, and she yearns to be on the ranch instead of at the exclusive boarding school where she spends most of the year.
Her dad, Rob (Tim McGraw), is grooming her brother, Howard (Ryan Kwanten), to take over the ranch, but he'd rather move to Boston and go to college. Rob wants Katy to finish high school and go to college, while her mom, Nell (Maria Bello), sees Katy's independent spirit for what it is.
Home from school, Katy catches a wild mustang and names it Flicka (which means "beautiful young girl" in Swedish). She sees the filly as her chance to prove that she's responsible and begs her dad to let her tame it. But he sees nothing but trouble from the untamed animal, saying "It only takes one mustang to ruin a herd."
Plus, Rob's busy trying to save the ranch and stave off land developers. He doesn't see that Katy and Flicka (and he himself!) are very much alike, shunning authority and not about to give up their freedom without a fight. Going against her father's wishes, Katy sets out to break through to Flicka and transform her into a riding horse. In the process, the horse manages to bring the family back together.
Sweeping landscapes, save-the-farm storyline, beautiful horses, rebellious girl with fly-away hair ... yeah, it's been done before. But it's a story that never goes out of style, especially for younger viewers. And even though the original novel is half a century old, its story of a hard-working family eking out a living on the farm and trying to protect their heritage has never been more relevant. Watching this movie will bring kids back to nature (and away from their video games) and help teach them that wide-open spaces need to be preserved and honored, not covered with malls and condos.
Also, the characters in this movie aren't one-dimensional. Katy is headstrong and opinionated -- she knows what she wants and goes after it -- but she's also girly, showing that it's OK to be both. Likewise, Rob isn't a bad guy. He just has big dreams for his daughter, which is why he wants her to go to college, instead of being saddled with a ranch that may or may not be around for much longer.
As a side note, the movie's music will bring tears to your eyes. McGraw co-wrote and performed the song "My Little Girl" (which couldn't have been too hard, seeing he has three daughters of his own).
Families who enjoy this movie will also like The Young Black Stallion, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, and Because of Winn-Dixie.
Rate It!
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ViolenceA girl falls from a horse, causing injuries and bruises; a horse is attacked by a wild animal, and blood is shown. |
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LanguagePretty mild: "Damn," "hell," "bitch," "ass," "frickin'." |
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Social BehaviorKaty is rebellious and disobedient for most of the film, but her actions have consequences. The movie has some good lessons about respect, obedience, and family expectations. |
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CommercialismBudweiser, Ford |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoSome drinking and smoking in a bar scene. |
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