aikidoronin-39624

Charley is only 15 years old but so far has had a pretty hard and unstable life. His mother is gone and he stays with his father who doesn't have much to give Charley in the way of either the basics or emotional support. On his new job working for Del, a horse racing businessman, Charley forms a connection with Lean On Pete aka Pete, an aging quarter horse whose running days are numbered. The story line is a bit predictable in a general way and there seems to be no message conveyed by the film. It did hold my interest for the most part mainly because I found it well acted.

The format has been well established but judge Milan's sometimes caustic approach can ruin it. First annoying fact: The website spins it as; "she's Confident, sassy and empathetic". What actually happens on each show is that she begins each case in a fairly calm manner but often she regresses into actually yelling at the litigants. I realize that there are some really exasperating transactions going on but she is supposed to at least try deciding cases with a clear, calm mind. Secondly she talks over people almost constantly. She will ask a question then after a few seconds will interrupt. Also she sometimes interjects other questions before the first answer is even said. She does most of the talking even though there are two parties in front of her giving testimony. Yelling and talking over the litigants shows a degree of patronizing the litigants.