What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this movie includes scenes of family tensions, involving a young girl and her parents, and her grandfather. The movie features an early, brief scene where a racehorse stumbles on the track and breaks its leg (this might be difficult for younger viewers). As the movie is set at Kentucky stables and race tracks, some characters use colorful language ("hell" and "damn") and drink at a wealthy owner's home. While the girl is riding the horse, it becomes frightened and runs away in a panic, frightening the girl, who can't stop it (the father has her jump from a galloping horse into his arms, a nearly impossible feat). A jockey shows the girl surgery scars on his shoulders and chest, the result of a riding accident, and explains that he has bad dreams. The primary villain, a white male horse owner, exhibits racism toward Mexican workers. The father and his friend talk about breeding the mare, involving a stallion and a "teaser pony" (this might provoke questions for some kids).
- Families can talk about the value and difficulties of pursuing what might seem impossible dreams. They might also consider the film's portrayal of generational conflicts: how does Ben and Pop's longstanding tension affect Ben's relationship with his young daughter?