Drama

War Pony

The interlocking stories of two Lakota boys growing up on Pine Ridge Reservation. At 23, Bill just wants to make something of himself. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Matho can’t wait to become a man. Bound by their shared search for belonging, each of the boys grapple with identity, family, and loss, as they navigate their unique paths to manhood.

Release Date : 2023-05-10

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Felix CulpaProtagonist PicturesQuickfire FilmsWard FourKaleidoscope PicturesCaviar

Production Country : United KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Bill

Original Name : Jojo Bapteise Whiting

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matho

Original Name : LaDainian Crazy Thunder

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colton

Original Name : Robert Stover

Gender : Male

Character Name : Allison

Original Name : Ashley Shelton

Gender : Female

Character Name : Auntie

Original Name : Iona Red Bear

Gender : Male

Character Name : Donny

Original Name : Ta-Yamni Long Black Cat

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mama

Original Name : Wilma Colhof

Gender : Male

Character Name : Baby Worm

Original Name : Jeremy Corbin Cottier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elias

Original Name : Woodrow Lone Elk

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tim

Original Name : Sprague Hollander

Gender : Male

Character Name : Echo

Original Name : Jesse Schmockel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dusty

Original Name : Stanley Good Voice Elk

Gender : Male

Character Name : Steven

Original Name : Steven Yellow Hawk

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jen

Original Name : Jen Mesteth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mason

Original Name : Wasose Garcia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boy 1

Original Name : Wakinyan Long Black Cat

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boy 2

Original Name : Macario Long Black Cat

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coltina

Original Name : Jessica Poor Bear

Gender : Male

Character Name : Johnny

Original Name : Jonathan Center

Gender : Male

Character Name : Manny

Original Name : Manuel Garcia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Xavier

Original Name : Xavier Big Crow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cashier 1

Original Name : Jennifer Yellow Bull

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cashier 2

Original Name : Jordan Robinson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Schaevon

Original Name : Schaevon Brewer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arnie

Original Name : Franklin Sioux Bob

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arnie's Girlfriend

Original Name : Sharay Brewer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Scrapper

Original Name : Darrell Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Girl in the Locker

Original Name : Nenah Mesteth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Hill

Original Name : Peter Hill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Savannah

Original Name : Taysha Ecoffey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Schoolgirl

Original Name : Persayag Parker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Carly

Original Name : Anjeliq Aurora

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arnie's Friend

Original Name : Art Ecoffey Sr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tim's Girlfriend

Original Name : Teressa Shangreaux Colhoff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guy

Original Name : Cole Glade Sr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fighter

Original Name : Rob Stover

Gender : Male

Character Name : Zeke

Original Name : Ezekiel Pourier

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-06-14

This starts off as quite an interesting observation of two young men growing up on the Pine Ridge reservation for the Oglala Lakota tribe in rural Dakota. It principally centres on the young "Bill" (JoJo Bapteise Whiting) who is juggling two girlfriends, two young children, and aspirations to buy and breed a rather mangy looking poodle! When he happens by a successful farmer whose car has broken down by the side of the road, he sees a way to make some extra cash. The two men click and pretty soon "Bill" is packaging turkey jerky by the bucketload! Meantime, the younger "Matho" (LaDainian Crazy Thunder) has been thrown out of his father's home after he and his pals compromised his cocaine business by adding a little epsom salts to their distribution network! Both stories see the men and their friends and families trying to get by in a community that seems to exist for the sake of it. Poodles notwithstanding, there seems little structure to their lives nor much point to anything. Opportunities are sparse and family loyalties only appear to endure when convenient. It's actually quite a depressing story that I couldn't help wonder might not have been worthy of watching at all, had it not been for the native American aspects to the production and plot. Despite that increasingly prevailing downbeat theme, there is something likeable about Whiting's characterisation of the wayward "Bill" - a man who does seem to at least want to escape the relentlessness of their existence. The ending is weak, though, and frankly really quite daft and as an whole, the film does drag a bit across the two hours of rather soporifically scored, slowly paced, drama. It's worth a watch, but it's not great.