Should you bring the kids? Yes, it's a little schmaltzy and some of the dialogue is corny, but this movie is wholesome family fare with a happy ending. Some scenes are a little too intense for kids younger than 8. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below.

THE STORY: We've seen this movie before. Girl has dreams, adopts a horse/dog/pig/whatever, has to battle the adults in her life at every turn. But backing this story is the classic Mary O'Hara novel, "My Friend, Flicka," which generated a 1943 movie by the same name. In that movie, Roddy McDowell starred as Ken McLaughlin, a boy who wants desperately to please his father, but only manages to do the complete opposite. To teach him some responsibility, his parents give him a colt to care for.

This updated version of the story stars Alison Lohman as Katy McLaughlin, a headstrong 16-year-old who lives with her family on a modern, working ranch in the remote mountain region of Wyoming. She's the only daughter in a long line of ranchers, and she yearns to be on the ranch instead of at the exclusive boarding school near Laramie, Wyoming, where she spends most of the year.

Her dad, Rob (Tim McGraw), is grooming her brother, Howard (Ryan Kwanten), to take over the ranch, but he'd rather move to Boston and go to college. Rob wants Katy to finish high school and go to college, while her mom (Maria Bello) sees her independent spirit for what it is.

Home on summer break, Katy catches a wild mustang and names it Flicka, which means "beautiful young girl" in Swedish. She sees the filly as her chance to prove she's responsible, and begs her dad to let her tame it. But he sees nothing but trouble from the untamed animal, saying, "It only takes one mustang foal to ruin a herd."

Plus, he's busy trying to save the ranch and stave off land developers. He doesn't see that Katy and Flicka (and he himself!) are very much alike, shunning authority and not about to give up their freedom without a fight. Going against her father's wishes, Katy sets out to transform Flicka into a riding horse. In the process, the horse manages to bring the family together.

Sweeping landscapes, save-the-farm storyline, beautiful horses, rebellious girl with fly-away hair…yeah, it's been done before. But it never goes out of style, especially if you or your kids love horses. The music will also bring tears to your eyes. Tim McGraw co-wrote and performed the song, "My Little Girl" (which couldn't have been too hard, seeing he has three daughters of his own).

PARENTS SHOULD KNOW: There are some scenes of peril: Katy gets thrown from Flicka (several times), and in one scene, a horse gets attacked by a cougar and blood is shown. Language is mild: damn, hell, ass, and frickin'. 

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): The coming-of-age theme and scenes of peril are too mature for little ones. Better horse movies for preschoolers include the gentle "My Little Pony" series and "Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus". They'll have plenty of time for teen angst later!

GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): This movie is ok for kids 8 and older, especially horse lovers. Although the original story is half a century old, it's never been more relevant: hard-working family ekes out a living on the farm and tries to protect their heritage. Watching this movie will bring kids back to nature (and away from their video games), and teach them that wide-open spaces need to be preserved and honored, not covered with condos and malls.

TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+): I love that the characters in this movie aren't one-dimensional. Katy is headstrong and opinionated -- she knows what she wants and goes after it – but she's also soft and girly. It's ok to be both! Likewise, her dad isn't a bad guy. He just has big dreams for his daughter and doesn't want her saddled with an uncertain future on the ranch. This movie is about figuring out who you are and honoring that, despite what others envision for you. It also has good messages about respect, obedience, and family expectations.