Nico the Unicorn

When I was in third grade, I picked up the book and fell in love with it!

Now, five years later, I'm flicking through the channels and I see a movie for it! I am now watching it....*hugz Billy and his coolness* one comment on the difference between the book and the movie: I don't think the Carolyn was the same type of girl as she is in the book. (She rides a Vespa scooter in the book and is a lot more of a tough girl) but i love this actress, so I'll make an exception. I haven't read (or seen) the book since, so I don't remember a lot, but wow! I almost forgot about the mountain lions, and about his mom!

A Canadian film about a mother and son who move after an accident that has killed the husband/father and crippled the son. Feeling alone and somewhat bitter the son visits the circus only to find a neglected pony. After purchasing the horse he discovers it's pregnant and guess what it gives birth to? A unicorn! Needless to say, life then takes a turn for the better... Charming and touching film, perhaps much better than you'd ever expect, this is great for an older family audience.

Billy (Kevin Zegers) and his widowed mother, Julie (Anne Archer) have moved to the western United States to start their lives over. This is important especially to Julie, who needs to get away from the memories of what she has lost. Billy, however, is not very happy at the moment, for going to a new school is difficult. You see, Billy has a disability, one of his legs works very poorly and running is not possible. It also makes him a point of curiosity as he shuffles to classes. Only Carolyn (Elisha Cuthbert) extends the hand of true friendship to Billy. On the way home from school, one day, Billy comes upon a tent with a sign of "unusual animals". Its a put-on, as the pony Billy finds inside has a "fake" unicorn horn tied onto his head. When the owner can't make the pony obey, he beats the little animal, right in front of the young boy. Stunned, Billy rescues the pony and takes her home. Julie is aghast, as they have little money for the creature but she relents. All too soon, they learn the pony is expecting a baby. When the foal arrives, it turns out to be a REAL UNICORN. As Julie is being courted by a local law officer named Tom (Michael Ontkean) she is away when a mountain lion kills the pony-mother. But, the foal, named Nico, grows at a rapid place and starts to change the yard into a replica of the Garden of Eden, for the folklore says that's where the creatures originated. But, rumors abound that a unicorn is in the area and everyone wants to exploit the animal if found. Will Billy find a way to help Nico escape the clutches of the wrong hands? This is a film children will enjoy, as it is visually nice and most everyone loves unicorns. But, the plot has some flaws and nonsensical elements, preventing it from being truly great. A Canadian movie, the cast is nice, as Archer always does a fine job and Ontkean, Zegers, Cuthbert, and all of the rest play their parts well. The scenery is also lovely, with mountains and such. Therefore, if your family has run out of ideas for the next kids-and-kin film night, this flick would entertain the clan for an evening.

A mediocre but cute story for children

A crippled boy who lost his father moves with his mother to an inherited house in some Canadian hinterland. As a city child, and also a cripple, he doesn't fit in very well. During a visit to the circus, he decides to save a pony on the verge of death. It turns out to be a female, who soon gives birth to a real unicorn. Now it's up to the boy to protect this magical being from the public eye and a potentially tragic fate if discovered.

A cliche boy-animal story, which doesn't bring even a hint of originality. A film that does not stand out in any way, neither in a positive nor in a negative sense. A variation on a theme that has been chewed over a million times, from which I did not expect anything, so it could not disappoint me. It's quite a decent choice for a lazy afternoon with the kids because all kids love unicorns. If you're not watching with kids, skip.

5/10.

I stumbled across this Canadian movie by chance on cable TV. I'd never heard of it, or of Kevin Zegers, but have since became a huge fan of both. It's a simple story of a young boy (Billy Hastings) who moves to a country property with his mother, and acquires a pony, who turns out to have magical abilities. Features fine performances by Kevin Zegers, Ann Archer (as Billy's mother), and Elisha Cuthbert (as Billy's classmate Carolyn). The screenplay is by Frank Sacks, who based it on his children's book of the same name. I was so happy when I found this movie on DVD, and would recommend it to anyone who loves kids/family movies, and of course to any fan of Kevin Zegers.