War Pony

2023 1h 54m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 46

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Jojo Bapteise Whiting
Bill
LaDainian Crazy Thunder
Matho
Robert Stover
Colton
Ashley Shelton
Allison
Iona Red Bear
Auntie
Ta-Yamni Long Black Cat
Donny
Wilma Colhof
Mama
Jeremy Corbin Cottier
Baby Worm

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Gina Gammell
Writers: Gina Gammell, Franklin Sioux Bob, Bill Reddy
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Gina Gammell, shot by David Gallego. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Christopher Stracey. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Affonso Gonçalves shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jojo Bapteise Whiting and LaDainian Crazy Thunder and Robert Stover carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt16227002 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 46 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Gina Gammell directs. David Gallego behind the camera. Christopher Stracey scores. Affonso Gonçalves cuts. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 3 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
3Directed by Gina Gammell, shot by David Gallego. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Christopher Stracey. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Affonso Gonçalves shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Jojo Bapteise Whiting and LaDainian Crazy Thunder and Robert Stover carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt16227002 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 46 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 10 themes, including "thanksgiving", "halloween", "turkey", "poodle".

The technical file

Cinematography: David Gallego
Original score: Christopher Stracey
Editing: Affonso Gonçalves
Production design: Scott Dougan
Costume design: Miyako Bellizzi
Makeup / hair: Lia Parks
Sound: D. Chris Smith
Runtime: 114 min · 1h 54m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: War Pony (2023)

Awards

Caméra d'Or

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Stills · wallpapers

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-06-14
★ 6/10
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.

Production companies