Two Bits and Pepper
By Renee Longstreet,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Pointless, crass, violent girls-and-horses tale. Beware.
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What's the Story?
Tyler (Lauren Eckstrom) and Katie (Rachel Crane) are best friends who are crazy about each other and about TWO BITS & PEPPER, their beloved pony and horse. But they pick the wrong time to disobey Tyler's mom and dad, who've forbidden them from going into town on horseback. Two kidnappers have come to their community (Joe Piscopo, equally despicable in two roles), hoping to lure one child or another into their car and hold him or her for ransom. The girls' path crosses with the villains after Tyler is punished by her mom and runs away, taking refuge in Katie's home. The kidnappers find them, alone and vulnerable. Ty's parents, the local sheriff, and the two horses all set out to save the girls. After a fire, gunshots, a horse being captured and then shot, and many tense moments as the girls attempt bravery in the face of danger, Two Bits and Pepper help save the day.
Is It Any Good?
In this mess of a movie, the filmmakers lose sight of logic, good taste, and, above all, empathy. Attempts at humor fall flat: Joe Piscopo is grating, unfunny, and sadistic; the farting is continuous and gross. Making light of children being lured into cars with offers of a ride home and candy are unconscionable, as are scenes of drunks driving cars and running into things. Kids are in danger in scene after scene; innocent animals are threatened, captured, and shot and one is killed by a car. The filmmakers continually rely on jeopardy (real, cartoonish, and false) to keep a young audience involved, but it's way too scary for most kids. For the rest of us, it's a bottom-rung movie, hard to sit through by any standard.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can discuss some of the issues that this movie brings to mind: listening to parents and sticking by their rules and requests, and keeping safe in a world that sometimes isn't safe. What behavior endangered Tyler and Katie?
Why do you think movies about kids and horses are so popular? What makes horses so fascinating and appealing?
Talk about the character of the villains in this movie. Were they meant to be scary? Funny? Mean? Dangerous? Do you think kids of different ages might see them differently?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 1, 1995
- On DVD or streaming: May 16, 2006
- Cast: Joe Piscopo, Lauren Eckstrom, Rachel Crane
- Director: Corey Michael Eubanks
- Studio: PM Entertainment Group
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Friendship, Horses and Farm Animals
- Run time: 93 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: milld violence, language and thematic elements
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
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