The Pony Man

I saw this film at the premier in Seattle and just loved it! It's a simple, heartwarming and fun story, with original characters and a great cast.

With his accounting job outsourced and too old to retrain, Ed Heller (Dennis Moore) experiences a series of synchronicities that lead to a wild and crazy idea to resurrect one of his fondest childhood memories. He buys a pony and a Polaroid and starts going door to door selling photos. But this isn't the 60s anymore, and all kinds of modern obstacles block his path, from accident insurance to the city code regulating animals. Ed's grunge derelict daughter Barbara (Lisa Renee Wilson) thinks he's gone off the deep end. His only support comes from Bertie (Debbie Wooten), a wise street clown who's seen it all.

Moore's Heller is instantly likable and makes you want to root for him from the git-go. Newcomer Moore, who has starred in several local productions, plays the role with touching sincerity and good comic timing. Wilson and Wooten are superb, as are Jonah Martin, who plays Barbara's estranged brother, and Patricia Haines-Ainsworth, who is perfectly cast as Heller's sister, Debbie. Sitting at the kitchen table on Debbie's farm, the two have wonderful chemistry and make you feel like you're sitting next to the fire chatting with them.

Shot in Seattle and on Vashon Island, the cinematography is at times breathtaking. My only criticism (why the 8 and not a 10) is that it moves a little slow in the middle. But that's easy to forgive in a film with so much heart. The Pony Man is making the festival rounds, so hopefully it will be coming to a theater near you soon.