Sure, it's as goopy as Kris Kristofferson is grizzled, but families might find a genuinely warm experience in the simple story of a child following her heart %u2014 especially in the rare moments when we're not told how to feel.

This is a slow track of wish-fullfillment fantasy and all who come through the turnstiles will wear a happy face.

Painfully earnest and aggressively sappy, it requires an outrageous suspension of disbelief, and becomes even more far-fetched as it goes along.

Dreamer is a good ride, a traditional girl-and-her-horse story guaranteed to cross the finish line of your heart.

Ah. Here’s the family film we’ve been dreaming of all year long.

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It manages to be a watchable, even enjoyable movie about and for girls, and in our world of candy-coated sparkly pink crap, that’s a rare and commendable thing.

In short, Dreamer may be shot through with cliches but they're good ones and, more importantly, they work. This is feel-good family entertainment of the first order and if you loved Seabiscuit, you'll love this too.

“Seabiscuit” it ain’t, but “Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story” is one of those harmless horse movies that will entertain the kids.

Dakota Fanning, the busiest child actor on the planet it seems, brings her usual maturity to this fine family film. The horse is pretty good too.