Primo Baby

I saw this clunky girl-meets-horse film at a gala premiere years ago. It was a bit like that scene in The Producers where the audience looks at the stage in mute horror. Alas, unlike The Producers, one couldn't view Primo Baby with camp detachment and extract a few belly laughs. Beyond the kind of dreary paint-by-numbers dialogue found in similar films aimed at an elusive Disney fanbase, I can only recall a grim chase scene around one of Calgary's LRT stations. And when I mean "grim", I don't mean in a William Friedkin/French Connection sort of way, but "grim" in a kind of...who the hell blocked and lit such a clumsy scene?

I am not a natural fan of "something the whole family can enjoy" flicks, but one can make something like The Black Stallion, The Yearling or The Railway Children, which can rise above the saccaharine tone of the genre and become something quite memorable. Sadly the filmmakers in Primo Baby stuck to the basic clichés of something like National Velvet (while completely failing to replicate the style of that film) without bringing anything novel to their reinterpretation. The cinematography is unmemorable and the acting is unconvincing beyond a certain barebones professionalism.

I got a VCR tape of this movie yesterday and think it is excellent. It must be set in Canada, because I don't think you can just pick up companions for your crippled children in the US, even if you are rich. It's a good story about never giving up your dreams, although I wish there had been more mentioned about Pasqual's family, such as it was. In explaining her unusual name, she says her Grandmother named her that because she was born around Easter, like that's an explanation. I assume she was living with her Grandmother, because her father is in and out of jail. I'm not sure what's going on with her mother. It's definitely worthwhile to rent for a weekend! I was also pleased to see that Duncan Regehr played the rich father -- I only know him from THE NEW ADVENTURES OF ZORRO, a weekly show that was on The Family Channel in the early 1990's.

This movie is perfect for all people! Even if you do not love horses or horse racing you will still love this movie! I give this movie two thumbs up!!! A+++++!!! It is a must see for people and kids of all ages. A perfect family movie! Rent it one Saturday and watch it. I guarantee you will love it!