The Long Shot (2004)

THE LONG SHOT Can a Blind Horse and an Injured Rider Make a Winning Combination? Julie Benz (Angel) stars with four-time OSCAR® nominee Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl) and Golden Globe winner Paul Le Mat (The Burning Bed) in this uplifting family drama. Newly relocated to California Annie Garrett (Benz) is left by her hot-tempered husband with a young daughter and a horse to support so she needs someplace to live and to work. She finds both at the stable where Mary Lou O Brian (Mason) hires her and barn manager Guido Levits (Le Mat) befriends her but the biggest challenge for Annie has yet to come. OSCAR® is the registered trademark and service mark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Approximately 94 minutes Color System Requirements:Running Time 94 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: NR UPC: 018713509789 Manufacturer No: 05-50978 Product Description

Excellent Family Movie

This is a story about LOVE; how unconditional love of family and a horse can help all involved get through the most difficult challenges. August 31, 2008

Very pleasant and true to life movie.

I have to say I found this movie to be very pleasant. And I actually enjoyed the soothing soundtrack as well. The story is simple, a lady is left by her husband with a child and a horse to support. With a strong, but understanding, boss she gets back on her feet doing what she does best- riding dressage. It has a few of the more minor swear words in it. But other than that, it is perfectly clean. And I think quite suitable for family viewing. I also think single mothers and their children will get a lot out of it as it mirrors real life, but at the same time shows how to get out of the quagmire we humans often put ourselves in. It is a movie to be seen. July 5, 2008

Predictable....Yes. Wonderful....You bet!

Yes, this movie is rather predictable, but when I want a family-friendly movie night, that is sort of what I am looking for. This a heart-warming film also falls more into the chick flick category, but can still be enjoyed by all. There are a couple elements that I thought were a little unrealistic, but all in all, it was a believable story and the dressage riding is very impressive.

The story begins by introducing us to Annie Garret, a mother, wife, and dressage rider who loves horses, but whose personal life is in a bit of a mess. Her husband can't keep a stable job and the family (Annie, her husband, and her daughter), are constantly moving from one place to another. Added to this problem is the fact that Annie is living with unresolved guilt because of her older sister's death, which has strained her relationship with her mother. As the movie opens, the family is looking for a new start by moving to California where Annie's husband has been hired as the stable manager at a horse farm/ranch (I'm not quite sure which it was). But the unexpected meets them. The promised job disappears because the farm has been sold before the family arrives, and upon learning of a new failure, Annie's husband takes the car and his things and leaves her and the daughter (Taylor) to fend for themselves. Annie is further burdened, though comforted, by having brought along her beloved horse who now has no where to stay. Through sheer pluck and determination, Annie gets a job and decides that she is going to financially make a life for herself and Taylor by competing in a high stakes dressage competition. Yet, the road to reaching this goal is not simple. Sickness, horse problems, and emotional healing lie along the path as Annie learns to achieve her dreams while putting her past failures aside.

For those interested in watching this film with the family, please note that there are three "D" words in it (that is all I counted), but no other profanity that I heard. Other than those, it is a clean movie appropriate for family viewing, but if you do not want your children exposed to language, be aware that there is some cussing in this movie. July 1, 2008

The Long Shot review

I loved this movie from Hallmark. Being a horsewoman and a student of dressage, I can equate what is happening with horse and rider movements.
The kids loved this movie also...it gave them hope that, if you really want to overcome adversity, you must keep trying.
My whole family watched it. The girls had a sleepover and it was the first movie they picked to watch.
A thumbs up for this one with Marsha Mason and Julie Benz! May 14, 2008

I Enjoyed the Dressage

This Hallmark Hall of Fame movie piled one misfortune on top of another but had a very happy ending. Young Annie's sister is killed in a car accident on an errand Annie was supposed to do, so she feels her mother blames her for her sister's death. Annie feels her mother favored her sister which adds to a growing chasm between mother and daughter. Now grown, Annie, her husband, daughter, and her horse Tolo are on their way to his new job, only to be deserted by him along the way. Annie manages to show up at a stable run by Mary Lou and talks her into hiring her. We see quite a bit of dressage from both Tolo and Mary Lou's horse Red, and things go well until Annie is unable to get Tolo out of his stall and finds out from the vet he is blind in both eyes. The vet recommends having him put down but Annie rises to the challenge and slowly gets him to adjust to his condition. When the bank threatens to repossess Tolo because Annie's husband defaulted on the loan, the only way to keep him is for her to win a musical dressage competition on Red despite an earlier fall leaving her with no feeling in one of her legs. She hurdles that obstacle, but when her husband attacks Red, causing him to be withdrawn, her last resort is to compete on Tolo. With her parents and daughter, and Mary Lou and her daughter watching, she and Tolo win first prize and more than enough money to pay off the loan. Best of all, her mother, who up until now had been showcasing her departed daughter's ribbons, presents Annie with all of her ribbons framed, so mother and daughter can finally heal their relationship. A great movie, though as some pointed out there is a bit of rough language so perhaps parents want to watch the movie before allowing their children to watch. I still feel this is a good family movie with a bit of preparation beforehand, and appreciated seeing dressage, so often overlooked, featured in a movie.
May 5, 2008

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