Orphan Horse

Yes, this indie plays on your "heart-strings" and is predictable, but I thought it was a beautiful film. The two leads here Jon Voight and Alexa Nisenson are superb in their roles, and the supporting cast is excellent as well.

Voight portrays Ben a curmudgeonly and aging man who has endured much tragedy in his life, but has maintained an affinity for his two horses which he keeps on his deteriorating ranch. Nisenson plays Shelly, an orphan who has just run away from an abusive foster family, and shares with Ben a love for horses.

The chemistry between the two works well, and soon Shelly will also bond with the horse she named Orphan on Ben's ranch. Meanwhile, a search by the police and social services continues to try and find the missing girl.

If you look past the cliches and just go with the flow of this movie you may find it as I did, most enjoyable and heart-rending. I'd say keep a box of tissues handy for the final 20 minutes or so.

To note: there were no subtitles on my DVD copy.