Flicka

Based on Mary O'Hara's classic coming-of-age novel, MY FRIEND FLICKA, this 2006 drama follows Katy (Alison Lohman), a rebellious Wyoming teen, as she contends with her parents (country singer Tim McGraw and lauded actress Maria Bello) and struggles to tame the willful and wild horse of the title. When her frustrated father opts to sells the rambunctious Flicka (whose Swedish name roughly translates as 'beautiful girl'), Katy must take drastic action for the sake of both herself and her equine companion.
Initially filmed in the 1940s under its original name, the story switches the lead character from a boy to a girl, allowing the always-compelling Lohman to add depth to her restless character. Previously known for the edgy drama A HOME AT THE END OF THE WORLD, director Michael Mayer skillfully corrals the story through beautiful Western scenery (familiar to fans of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) and breathtaking horse-riding sequences, but the real highlights of FLICKA are the performances of Lohman and Bello, who play off energetically against the stoic McGraw. With its old-fashioned, straightforward cinematic storytelling and topnotch cast, FLICKA breaks to the front of the family-film herd, and stands out as one of the finest horse-themed movies of the early 21st century.