Horse Movie Review

After watching The Horse Whisperer for the millionth time tonight, I decided it would be cool to do my own reviews on horse movies since it's my personal opinion that movie critics are biased against horse movies (no offence to them, but you rarely see a horse movie get four stars, and I've never seen one get five). So, here's a horse addicted teenager's review of The Horse Whisperer. 

I have to say, this is one of my all time favorites, it's also one of the saddest (I'd say tied with War Horse). For those of you who have never even heard of this movie, I'll give you a summary (it has no plot twists or surprises, so I don't consider this a spoiler. You have to see it to really feel it). The movie introduces you immediately to the mother, Annie (Kristen Scott Thomas), who is an uptight New York magazine editor. It flashes back and fourth between a scene of her at the office and two girls, her daughter Grace (Scarlett Johansson) and her best friend Judith (Kate Bosworth). Grace and Judith decide to go on a trail ride through the snow, but Judith's horse slips and falls. It crashes into Grace on her horse, and both girls and horses go sliding onto the road just as an 18 wheeler comes by and hits them. Judith and her horse die. Grace suffers leg and mental trauma, and her horse barely survives with horrid injuries and a severe mental break down. The mother pushes through the pain and takes her daughter and the horse to a horse whisperer in Montana where she hopes they can both heal. It takes time, but the horse slowly learns to trust people and believe it won't get hurt while grace learns to live with her amputated leg, overcome obstacles, and learn she doesn't have to be so handicapped if she doesn't want to be.

Grace and Pilgrim on Left

It's a great movie because it's not only about the horse, but it's about the relationship between mother and daughter, taking life as it comes, learning to relax, trust, and different ways of life. It makes me cry every time because within minutes, you are in love with the two girls, then you almost lose them both. Knowing what's coming makes it even worse, in my opinion, because you just don't want the accident to happen. I would say the first part is very depressing and realistic (well, it is all realistic), but the rest does have uplifting moments filled with hope. I guess I like the movie because it's just so real. It's heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. I recommend it to horse lovers and none horse lovers alike.