Finding a film that will appeal to all members of the family can be really tricky. Yesterday afternoon, I settled down with 9-year-old Sophie and 6-year-old Juliette to watch a review copy of All Roads Lead Home to see what we'd make of it. The DVD was released on 30th May and has been hailed as a classic family movie so I was hoping we would all like it.
The blurb says : "Inspired by a true story, All Roads Lead Home is an award-winning drama for the entire family that will make you laugh and cry. Belle (Vivien Cardone), an animal loving 12 year old, becomes sullen and withdrawn after her mother’s death in an automobile accident. Rebelling against her father (Jason London), she is sent to live at the horse ranch of her gruff maternal grandfather (Peter Coyote). With the help of the animals, Belle’s work on the farm transforms the entire family. Life and death take on new meaning as the family makes some tough choices involving compassion, trust, and letting go of the past in order to find hope in the future. Animal lovers all over the world will adore this film."
With the story of animals helping to heal broken families and the setting of the horse ranch, it instantly reminded me slightly of The Horse Whisperer with overtones of Marley & Me and Lassie thrown in for good measure.
The girls loved the story of the animals but were a bit shocked by the scene where the grandfather tries to drown a litter of puppies in the river. They were also sad at the end when the decision is made to have the dog put down - but this is a family movie so they needn't have worried, it all finishes with a happy ending.
Teens and tweens will love the fact that the central character is a feisty 12-year-old that they can really relate to but it's a nice, gentle, calm film that the whole family will enjoy, perfect for snuggling up on the sofa together to watch on a rainy afternoon or a lazy Sunday.
star rating : 4/5
RRP : £12.99 (but only £7.99 on amazon)
Running Time 108 Mins Approx
Cat No DIG3839
Barcode No 5034741383912
Genre Family/Drama
Certificate PG
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Sounds like a great family film with all the event mixture life throws at you.
ReplyDeleteOh no I can't watch this if a dog gets put down, I have never been able to watch Bambi and I was desperate to watch Marley & Me until my husband told me the dog dies at the end!
ReplyDelete