The interlocking stories of three Lakota men living on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.... (Full plot summary below)
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The interlocking stories of three Lakota men living on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Leave your thoughts about War Pony.
| SlashfilmRafael MotamayorThis is a brutally honest look at a community seldom portrayed on screen with care or honesty, with a simple story that may not pack much in terms of plot, but packs a whole lot of authenticity and empathy, with a stellar cast of mostly first-time actors. |
| IGNRyan LestonAn effective debut feature from director Riley Keough, War Pony is a rare breed – a native story told by an outsider seeking to uplift the community rather than exploit it. |
| Time OutAdena MaierEvery scene is shot in Pine Ridge, and the cast is entirely comprised of first-time actors from that community – and it’s these factors that really give the film a raw authenticity rarely found in film depictions of reservation life. |
| The Irish TimesTara BradyWorking with Gammell, Keough, a granddaughter of Elvis Presley and the compelling star of The House that Jack Built and Daisy Jones & the Six, successfully transitions to the other side of the camera with this respectful take on a community under pressure. |
| The Film StageLuke HicksAmong many films that tackle class, race, and privilege at Cannes this year ... War Pony is more subtle in its pursuit. The stories aren’t plotless but the emphasis isn’t on any one narrative conflict. Keough and Gammell make it more about witnessing the culturally and spiritually rich world of Pine Ridge. |
| Rolling StoneDavid FearThere’s a lived experience pulsing at the center of this slice-of-life tale, which helps guide it over some of the more generic elements and weaker patches, especially when things threaten to detour directly into poverty-porn and/or Amerindie miserablism territory. |
| The Hollywood ReporterLovia GyarkyeIt’s a slow-burning film, one that pulls you in with its steady observations of the minor triumphs and major pitfalls [of its two protagonists]. |
| VarietyPeter DebrugeIf Larry Clark had ever found his way onto the Pine Ridge Reservation, he probably would have come away with a film like “War Pony,” which observes its young Native American characters hustling, skating and stealing drugs from otherwise distracted adults. |
| Screen DailyFionnuala HalliganThe result has a definite voice – even when its protagonists struggle to find their own. |
| RogerEbert.comRobert DanielsFrom an outsider's perspective, however, as poetic and otherworldly as War Pony can be, the reality of its people never feels real. |
