Natalie's Rose
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Faith-based, supernatural tearjerker has mature themes.
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What's the Story?
NATALIE'S ROSE is both the name of an ethereal horse that appears mysteriously and also a white rose that refuses to wilt a year after a woman's death. The horse and rose are both allegedly brought to Natalie (Heidi Creel) by God to heal her after the death of her young mother. Obeying her mother's dying advice, she travels from Seattle to her mother's childhood home, a Nevada horse ranch. There she struggles to understand why God took her mother from her. A beautiful white stray horse shows up. Natalie names her Rose and, in bonding with the animal, begins to recover from mourning. When she achieves full understanding, she announces that God needed her mother more than she did.
Is It Any Good?
This is a bona fide tearjerker, and in that capacity the movie is a success. When a young daughter watches her mother die, only the hard-hearted will not be moved. However, one's personal tolerance for the religiously supernatural will determine how compelling the viewer finds the depictions of gauzy ghosts, undying blossoms, and a disappearing horse. As a guide to recovering from the death of a loved one, this movie relies on man's anger against and then acceptance of God's presumed direct role in the personal fate of each and every one of us. This may be a sketchy proposition for some viewers. Kids looking for a fun horse movie should look elsewhere; this heavy tale could upset sensitive kids.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the techniques the movie uses to convey that certain people and animals are ghosts, angels, or otherwise impermanent creatures destined to fade into the ether.
How well does the movie convey where in time -- the past, present, or future -- the action is? Can you tell that time has passed?
Do you think you have to have certain religious beliefs to enjoy this movie? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 10, 1998
- On DVD or streaming: March 15, 2007
- Cast: Heidi Creel, Lynn Marie Sager, Sam Taft
- Director: Paul McKellips
- Studio: Oregon Pacific Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Horses and Farm Animals
- Run time: 84 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: December 6, 2022
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