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Parents' Guide to

All the Pretty Horses

By Betsy Wallace, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Adequate but disappointing book adaptation.

Movie PG-13 2000 135 minutes
All the Pretty Horses Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

MovieLover4Lyfe
MovieLover4Lyfe Adult
October 28, 2010
age 13+
Read the book, then see the movie. You'll see that although there are some very handsome men in this movie, the book tells the story much, much better.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In search of some adventure, cowboys John Grady Cole (Matt Damon) and Lacey Rawlins (Henry Thomas) head for Mexico. Along the way, they are joined by Blevins (Lucas Black), a drifter who is suspected of stealing a horse. In Mexico, the men find work with a wealthy landowner (Ruben Blades), whose daughter Alejandra (Penelope Cruz) grows attracted to Cole. But their adventures soon catch up to them, landing them in a dreadful prison.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Only young Lucas Black (Sling Blade, Flash) seems to belong in this story about young boys devoted to horses, guns, and friendship. Henry Thomas and Matt Damon are solidly fine as the central buddy figures. They handle their horses well, but don't seem to understand the poetry beneath the frank, drawling dialogue, much of which screenwriter Ted Tally took directly from the Cormac McCarthy novel the film is based on. And so little attention is paid to developing the story's romance that viewers might wonder why the love story is even included. It's love at first site for Alejandra and Cole, a few brief scenes of flirtation, and then the "falling in love montage." Since so much of the subsequent events in the story follow from the tragic fact of their love, director Thorton would have been smart to spend more time making sure viewers would feel its power.

ALL THE PRETTY HORSES was shot to show as much Texan and Mexican landscape as possible. The screen fills up with one gorgeous view after another, but, as we start to feel the need to know the characters more intimately, the vistas become overwhelming. The movie should attract adults familiar with the book, and older teens familiar with the actors; both groups will most likely end up with an entertaining, but uneventful viewing experience. The stunning book is adequately adapted, but the big-screen heartthrobs don't do anything extraordinary onscreen.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in the prison. Do you think it was realistic? What do you think the aunt meant when she said that all a woman has is her reputation?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: December 25, 2000
  • On DVD or streaming: February 5, 2002
  • Cast: Matt Damon , Penelope Cruz , Sam Shepard
  • Director: Billy Bob Thornton
  • Inclusion Information: Indigenous directors, Female actors
  • Studio: Miramax
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 135 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: violence and some sexuality.
  • Last updated: December 2, 2022

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