Flicka/Because of Winn-Dixie 2pk (2005)

"[Because] A sweet, family-friendly...touching and funny.  Claudia Puig, USA Today
"[Flicka] It's hard to argue with the movie's big heart, solid craftsmanship, likable characters...  M.E. Russell, Portland Oregonian
"[Flicka] ...a well-made family drama...honest, tough and surprisingly engaging.  Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
"[Because] ...pace, sensibility, and big, beating heart, this is a child's first indie film...  Ty Burr, Boston Globe
"[Flicka] ...a girl-and-her-horse movie that isn't trying to be all things for all audiences.  William Arnold, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Editor's Note Family films FLICKA and BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE both feature young women who find friendship with beloved animals. See individual titles for synopsis information.

	Alison Lohman
	AnnaSophia Robb
	Cicely Tyson
	Eva Marie Saint
	Howard McLaughlin
	Jeff Daniels
	Maria Bello
	Tim McGraw
	Michael Mayer - [Flicka] Director
	Wayne Wong - [Because] Director

Reel.com 7 of 10
[Flicka] A remake of the sentimental 1943 family favorite, My Friend Flicka, there's not enough meat on this old nag's bones to hold the attention of most adults. But this well-meaning fable was not made for grown-ups; it was made for those kids, should they still exist, that adore their four-legged equine friends...Twenty-seven-year-old Alison Lohman, last spotted sleeping with Kevin Bacon in Atom Egoyan's randy Where the Truth Lies, finds a much better fit in Flicka, playing 16-year-old Katy McLaughlin...Again, what Flicka comes down to is kids and animals. Children entranced by ponies and petting zoos will probably adore Katy and her filly, but those more taken with their X-Box games may wonder about this thing called grass and these beings called horses - and nag Mom for quarters to play video games. - Pam Grady

Chicago Sun-Times 6 of 10
[Because] Although the movie has heartfelt conversations about the absence of Opal's mother, and scenes in which dog ownership is viewed as a great philosophical consolation, the picture mainly meanders until a big party scene at Miss Gloria's, to which all of the characters are invited -- even Preacher, who, true to the ancient tradition of movie fathers, arrives late but then recognizes that his daughter has done a good thing.It is one of those parties you see only in the movies, where the people may be poor, but they have an unlimited budget for candles. Hundreds of them. Thousands, maybe, all over the yard outside Miss Gloria's house. Covered dishes are uncovered, and meanwhile the stage has been set for drama. - Roger Ebert

Variety 9 of 10
[Flicka] Updated and overhauled from its 65-year-old source novel to speak to the contemporary American West, "Flicka" is a wonderful film in search of an appropriately sized audience. To call this the best horse-and-kid picture since "The Black Stallion" a quarter century ago is true but misleading; it's not really either an animal or a kids' film but rather a young adult drama that rings emotionally true, with nary a manufactured note struck..."Flicka" could so easily have gone wrong, in one direction, by being cutesy and manipulative, or in another by indulging in rote dysfunctional family posturing. Mayer steers clear of these shoals thanks to good dramatic instincts and perfectly chosen actors. - Todd McCarthy