Rodeo Girl

I have to sort of disagree with one of the reviews that a horse can't "change it's training". There have been many that changed their careers. However, I don't think this horse would be one of those. There is just too much information and access to real barrel racers that could have made the show much more realistic. First of all, a barrel race is just that - a race - not a trot and lope around the barrels! While they did try to get a lot of the lingo correct, they could have done better. There was just so much potential with this show, but it fell way short. Still a good, clean family film that to the non horseman or non barrel racer would be quite entertaining.

I gave it 5/10 because it's a family friendly film. The language was clean, and there were no innuendos. However, it drug along. Our 13 year old son lost interest after about 30 minutes.

Priscilla (the main character) was a teenage girl in New England attending an elite Boarding Academy where Equestrian was a large part of her life. Her mother and her new fiancé announced to Priscilla they were leaving on a 4 month world cruise without Priscilla. She would have to go to Michigan to stay with her father, whom she had not seen since she was 1 year old after her mother left him.

She arrives in Michigan cold and distant. Through various circumstances, after her horse arrives from the East Coast, she becomes interested in barrel racing at a local rodeo. The rest of the movie revolves around her quest assimilate and to excel at the sport. This desire brings about conflict and growth with her dad, whom she calls "Duke", and her mother, who makes a devastating decision that could derail all the progress Priscilla has made over the summer.

I don't want to say too many bad things about this film, as it was obviously a low-budget production and the producers were trying to make something that was wholesome that the entire family could enjoy. The filming quality and editing were good but the acting was a bit stiff and continuity was almost non-existent.

However, despite the flaws, it was still a decent family film.

In New England, the spoiled Priscilla (Sophie Bolen) loves horse riding and lives with her mother Abigail (Janet Caine). When Abigail decides to travel with her wealthy boyfriend, he gives the US$ 75,000 horse Lassie to Priscilla and she sends her daughter and Lassie to stay with her estranged father Duke Williams (Kevin Sorbo) in his ranch in Michigan. The snobbish Priscilla does not treat her father well, but soon she befriends his friend Laura Mae (Sherryl Despres) and his employee Sage (Derek Brandon). When they go to a rodeo, Priscilla decides to train to dispute barrel racing and Sage teaches her. Meanwhile, the wealthy farmer Carl Davenport (Mark Boyd) wants to buy Duke's land and his reckless son harasses Priscilla that is improving in the rodeo competition. When Abigail arrives in the ranch, Duke and Priscilla learn that her boyfriend was a con-artist and she does not have money to pay the price of Lassie, and will have to resell the horse. Priscilla vanishes and Duke has to take an attitude.

"Rodeo Girl" is a good family entertainment film, with the story of a spoiled girl that loves horse riding and has to stay with her estranged father that she has never met before. Priscilla's character is a typical 14-year-old unpleasant spoiled teenager, and the story should have included something that real hurts to change her behavior and attitude. The scene where the teenager drugs the horse should have had consequences for him. But anyway, the story is light and nice to see with the family. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Tempo de Mudanças" ("Time of Changing")

I don't claim to be an authority on horses, but what little I do know kind of downplays any enthusiasm for this film.

Adolescent Sarah Bolen is sent to live in rural Michigan with her father Kevin Sorbo for the summer and she's not seen much of him over the years so she's disappointed. Her mother keeps her in a lifestyle that's extravagant for them, she has a show horse that she's training for competition. Sorbo's farm out there might be a good training ground for her and the horse.

But she develops an enthusiasm for rodeo when she arrives no doubt fueled by a young rodeo cowboy Derek Brandon who works for Sorbo. I won't say any more.

But for the life of me I can't see how a horse bred for shows could be turned into a horse used for barrel racing in a rodeo. Just not done and I think the film will be justly criticized for it. Like trying to train a thoroughbred race horse all of a sudden into a horse for harness racing. The smartest of horses, Mr. Ed in fact just wouldn't take to it though Mr. Ed could articulate why from his point of view.

Nice family film otherwise, but the horse changing his training is too big to overlook.

I am a very famous movie critic, and might I say, this movie is truly PERFECT. If you look closely, you can see it is taken in Indiana, which is my home state, and the best location EVER :D I was born before time and space and let me tell you, this movie makes me cry every time I watch it, especially when I see my daughter and her wonderful acting was in it! Overall, I think it needs 3 Grammies and an Oscar nomination, 12/10 would recommend to anyone with taste because of the acting and how accurate it is. The horses too this day, I still think that they were so accurately portrayed and also had the best acting. To this day, I'm still waiting for its sequel. Thank you Lucas Miles :D