Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

So much average

Powerful

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

The real reason I purchased this movie was because of its setting - in the San Juan Islands and east of Seattle. I admit to being homesick! This is not really a "horse" movie and really doesn't spend any time on dressage. It is, rather, a story of family interaction. I thought, unlike other reviewers, that the cast did pretty well with the sketchy material they were given. It didn't bother me that everyone was "unlovable" - I thought they were rather interesting as they were. They reminded me a bit of my family, for good or bad. However, the pace of the movie was very slow, and I felt we could have gotten to know the characters a lot better in 2 hours.

I really found nothing to like about the movie. We had better actors in my high school drama class. I am not a horse person per se, however I do love horses and ride whenever I have the opportunity. I suppose this flick was meant to be a paean to our equine friends, however this clumsily handled production left me so cold I wouldn't have been bothered if the herd was sent to the glue factory. And the beginning with the ballet class, what was that all about? The actress playing the role of Dana the ballet instructor was not credible as she had neither the carriage nor grace of someone who studied ballet past third grade. In all honesty I popped out the DVD halfway through and was resentful that I paid $1.20 to rent it.

This was supposed to be a horse movie, but it was't. This was supposed to be a family movie, but it wasn't. Based on the cover it was supposed to be uplifting and inspiring, but it really wasn't. What it was instead is extremely long, extremely boring, extremely unattractive people having a whole bunch of badly and oh so slowly explained family drama. The film is about 120 minutes, out of which the horse is shown for about 20, and really does nothing. The rest is about a family that is unhappy and doesn't get along the whole time. The fact that this drama is about a family does NOT make this a family movie! The characters are not relatable. The brothers don't talk to each other, the daughter has issues with the mother, the father has dementia. The only good thing about the movie is that it eventually ends. No, the ending itself is not good either. The family tries everything to save the farm, but then, they can't. I only wish the producers would have had the same success making this movie.

This movie was obviously a labor of love, but is probably only important to the people involved with its creation. Everything always seems only half-developed; the pace of the story is slow and arduous, the characters are neither convincing enough nor likable enough, and nothing engaging or endearing or emotionally gripping enough to keep your interest. Even the horse seems tangential; you learn nothing of dressage and see more of the competition's performance than the pair for which you're supposed to be rooting. The story ends and you're never exactly sure what you're supposed to take away from the movie.The soundtrack also seems to be constantly waffling between genres, between folksy americana and instrumental celtic pieces better suited for sweeping Irish vistas. The one saving grace for the movie is the lovely songs performed by the Wailing Jennys. But overall, unfulfilling and disappointing. Would not recommend.