The Horse Dancer

Bad script, selfish and mean characters, poor acting, mixed messages. It's all so odd. Spoiler alert: from the long gap between being introduced to the main character and then having her show up at the camp to the strange marriage proposal where the bride-to-be completely ignores her new fiancee seconds after he's asked her to marry him so she can spend time with her girlfriends to a camp leader asking campers to behave "like little ladies" while they search for a missing camper and the owner of the camp isn't immediately told of what's going on, the movie just made little or no sense. Strangest? The mother does not inform the main character that her grandmother is dead. A camp counselor is chosen as 'the best person' to deliver the sad news. The mother does not drive to the camp to tell her or provide comfort or take her home. Like the mother doesn't care at all. The character development is done in the last twenty minutes of the film and comes across as totally unbelievable. My daughter said she liked the last little bit of the movie where the girls became friends. I disliked the messages of white privilege and how when one girl was unable to get money off her 'daddy' the other girls shunned her for 'failing' them. The messages in this movie are so mixed that I cannot recommend this movie. Such a disappointment.

Ignore the csm critic. Like weekend at Bernie's, the movie humor will go over their head. Not only should young girls who like horses and dancing like this movie,but also the parents who don't take themselves too seriously. ### My 10 year old daughter told me this was the sequel to Dances with Wolves! ..... Boy, was I disappointed! ### Actually, this movie is one of the more unforgettable movies in a while. First, it is great for young girls, with gymnastics and horses. Then it was great to see Al Borland's post Tim Allan career. Then, finding out that Blackwater ranch is a real place in Michigan that we had driven near, was great. If you are from the Midwest, it's interesting. Google satellite viewed the place, in a creepy manner, as is all googling. ### The horrible sound track and some of the bad acting had me and wife rolling on the floor laughing. Loved the nursery song "Swimming", while they rode horses; halarious editor error. Don't get me wrong, it had some great acting, alongside the worst monotone acting, ever. Most of the females did an excellent job acting, like that 'Young Sandra Bullock'. Except Grandma, who they sadly fired and wrote out of the script, due to her horrible acting. So sad was her sudden unemployment, even I cried.... All the male actors were halariously bad at line delivery, except for Al Boreland (formerly of the 1990s show, "Tool Time"), the resident handyman. One male actor was so bad in delivering his lines, his on screen fiancee immediately turns away and ignores him, immediately after she accepts his proposal! At first, I thought they fired the first annoying blond actress, replaced her with an older annoying blond actress, but they didn't have the budget to refilm the early movie part with the new actress. But they managed that plot kink, just fine, by bringing back the first blond brat into the movie--managing to fit two super annoying Blond actresses onto one tiny screen! (Don't get me wrong, both were good actresses. They were supposed to be obnoxious, but ironically, your daughters won't get this.)### It would have been funnier if Donald Trump played the rich father, and had it ended with an alien (or North Korean) abduction of the gymnast, who barely escapes by somersaulting off the craft. But at least it didn't end with the main gymnast falling off the horse and taking up a bed beside Christopher Reeves-which, would have bummed my 10 year old, but made the parents feel less old. ### At any rate, I will be looking forward to the sequel, called, "Donkey Dancer", whose name has a much better ring. ### Maybe next time there will be more Michigan Tatonka! But, something in my gut tells me that the sequel is slated for a New Zealand shoot. ### BTW, its messages were great for kids: and the delivery of those messages should crack the parents up. (Beware there is one brief kiss between engaged adults.) ### Please, don't forget people: It Is mandatory to wear plaid while watching this movie! A campfire nearby, may help with the ambiance. (Just no campfire with this DVD within arms reach).