Grade:

Transfiguring Adoption awarded this movie 3 Hoots out of 5 based on how useful it will be for a foster/adoptive family. [Learn more about our Hoot grading system here]

Movie Info:

• Rating: TV-PG
• Genre: Drama
• Runtime: 110 Minutes
• Studio: Disney

From the Cover of Black Beauty by Disney:

“In this modern day reimagining of Anna Sewell’s timeless classic, we follow Black Beauty, a wild horse born free in the American West. Rounded up and taken away from her family, Beauty is brought to Birtwick Stables where she meets a spirited teenage girl, Jo Green. Beauty and Jo forge an unbreakable bond that carries Beauty through the different chapters, challenges, and adventures of her life.”

[Buy the PDF version of the Review & Discussion Guide]

Transfiguring Adoption’s Overview:

Black Beauty is one of those timeless classics that seems to get a new telling every few years. This newest version, put out for Disney+, tells the same basic story I remember from my horse-girl childhood, based on the book by Anna Sewell. It tells the story of Beauty, a wild mustang who’s captured and taken from her home and the teenager who befriends her after they bond over their shared traumatic experiences. Though one notable difference is that both Beauty and Jo were females whereas they are traditionally male characters.

This movie would likely be best for older children and teens. It contains many instances of animal mistreatment and abuse that is likely to be upsetting to sensitive children, especially those with a love of horses and other animals. There are also several emotional separations in the movie, so this may be one that should be approached with caution.

** Spoilers Could Be Ahead **

How Is This Relevant To Adoption & Foster Care?

While Beauty is the main character, we also follow the story of Jo, the teenage girl who befriends Beauty. Jo’s parents die in a car crash and she is sent to live with her uncle whom she doesn’t know and she struggles to adjust to this new living situation, much in the same way that children who are placed in foster care or adoption might feel. Early on in this placement she says things like, “I’m here because the state says I have to be, instead of in my own home” and “you’re not my family.” Jo’s emotions during this transition are likely familiar and relatable to their own experiences.

Beauty’s story is also one of separation from family—she is taken from her mother when she is fairly young and ends up in captivity before coming to live at Birtwick, where she befriends Jo and also finds a family in her equine companions Merrylegs and Ginger. Unfortunately, after tragedy strikes at Birtwick, Beauty is leased out to another family for a time and then sold and moves through several owners/homes some of which are nice and some where she is mistreated. The story is told through her eyes and so we experience her emotions as she deals with all of these changes. Children who have been through foster care/adoption, especially when some of their living situations have been unpleasant or abusive, will likely relate to Beauty’s experiences and empathize with her emotions of hurt, fear, and anger.

It’s also worth noting that the way John treats the horses in his care, Beauty especially, is very trauma informed. He explains, “I’m trying to talk to him, learn his language. It isn’t about controlling him or forcing him or making him do something he doesn’t want to do. We have to find a balance, together. A give and take…He might not be able to talk but he’s saying a whole lot to me right now.” As a caregiver these are great parallels of concepts to keep in mind as we relate to children from a background of trauma. It’s about learning to speak their language and understand that all behavior is communication.

Discussion Points:

• Building Trust
  John utilizes trauma-informed practices in the way he cares for the horses at his rescue. These animals have often been through trauma before coming to Birtwick. His approach is all about connection and gaining the animal’s trust slowly. He explains it as a partnership—that they both have to learn to communicate and trust each other. Because of this he often gives Beauty her space and doesn’t try to force her into behaving a particular way. He lets her get used to her new home and slowly introduces people and components of training to her. Jo uses this same approach when she comes to Birtwick and it is what allows her to connect with and get close to Beauty. They don’t form their friendship overnight, it’s a slow process. This can open up a discussion of the process that you and children can use when establishing and building trust together as well as how to form trusting relationships with others.

• Adjusting to New Homes
  Beauty experiences a number of owners and homes during her lifetime, all vastly different from the previous and require her to adjust to her new surroundings. Jo also suddenly comes to live with her uncle after her parents die and she feels very alone and out of place on the farm and at her new school. For children who have been through foster care of adoption, they’ve lived in at least two homes/families—often more. This can be extremely difficult, especially early on in a new home, as they have to learn new expectations and how to navigate unfamiliar surroundings. Their new foster of adoptive placement may be completely different than what they’re used to. They may also have to get used to new routines and new people and this can lead to them feeling very alone and outcast. Talking about the struggles of both Beauty and Jo as they deal with their environment changes may offer some insight into how they feel about their own adjustment to a new home.

• Resilience
  Beauty is an incredibly resilient character—she experiences numerous traumas and abusive situations and still manages to retain her capacity for love and friendship. She is able to do this because of the protective factors she has—these are positive things from her life that help her to be able to endure difficult times. She had a very loving and happy life with her family for the first two years of her life. She had a positive and trusting relationship with her mother, something she could remember and turn to when she experienced something difficult. She also later developed other positive relationships—with her horse friends Ginger and Merrylegs, and her friendship with Jo. In addition, she had some strong personality traits such as being independent and stubborn and strong. All of these different positives helped Beauty maintain her sense of self-worth and hold on to hope when she went through difficult experiences. Like Beauty, children who have experienced childhood trauma are generally very resilient. They have survived extreme and difficult circumstances and ended up where they are now despite that. This can be an opportunity to talk with them about the protective factors they have. Maybe they had strong relationships with siblings, friends, teachers, caseworkers, or various caregivers, or they have personality traits such as being tenacious or confident.

Cautionary Points:

• ‘Child’s’ mistake leads to terrible consequences
  Early in the film, when Beauty is fairly young, she notices that strange things are happening near her home and she makes the choice to break her family’s rule about not going outside of a certain radius and as a result she leads the humans to her home and puts herself and her family in danger. Beauty and some of the other horses are taken into captivity and she is separated from her mother permanently. Beauty feels a lot of guilt about her mistake and blames herself for this trauma. It’s a tendency for many children who have experienced abuse or other trauma to blame themselves for what happened in their home. So seeing the character of Beauty make a mistake that has such dire consequences may be difficult for them or cause them to engage in self-blame regarding their own trauma. Later we also see a young groom who, distracted by his phone, accidentally leaves a heater unattended near the barn which in turn causes a fire.
  

• Loss/Death of parents
  Right at the opening of the movie Beauty is separated from her mother and never sees her again. Based on a conversation where Beauty’s mother tells her about how horses become stars to watch over them when it’s “their time”, it’s implied that she died. Later, Jo comes to live with her Uncle John, and we learn that her parents died in a car crash. Neither of these deaths happen on screen but both are major plot points and are talked about frequently in the first half of the film.
  

• Being Removed from home
  Both Beauty and Jo are removed from their home as well, after they lose their parents. Beauty is captured by horse traders and ends up at Birtwick Stable and then goes through several other homes. Jo is sent to live with her Uncle after her parents die and she makes several statements about wanting to go home and being at Birtwick “because the state says I have to be”. These statements may be upsetting to children who were removed from their own homes/families under traumatic circumstances.
  
  
• Character is told not to adopt an animal based on their temperament
  When John is trying to choose which horse he wants, the seller discourages him from choosing Beauty saying, “That Filly’s got a horrible temper. You don’t want her.” For children who have experienced foster care or adoption they may have felt at times that they were being chosen (or not chosen) by a family based on their behavior. So while these words are about an animal in this case, it may still be an upsetting phrase for them to hear if they experienced something similar.
  
  
• Animal Mistreatment/Abuse/Neglect
  There are a number of instances of this in the movie in various forms. After Beauty is rounded up for the first time, the men use whips on her. Later, we see Georgina utilize a bridle that makes Beauty very uncomfortable, use spurs on her (to the point that she has wounds in her flank), and force her to keep running in a race after she loses a shoe, resulting in a leg injury. When Beauty is used in search and rescue, she is well cared for, though exposed to dangerous situations. After a particularly difficult rescue the groom forgets to give Beauty a blanket after being in a freezing river and the resulting cold night causes her to get colic. Later she is sold to a farmer who severely overworks her, and finally ends up being worked to the point of exhaustion as a NYC carriage horse and kept in extremely poor conditions.
  
  
• Minor Bullying
  There are a few instances where some of the girls who visit Birtwick Stables make fun of Jo for living there, smelling bad, etc. Children in foster care are more likely to experience bullying, and may be especially sensitive to seeing this unfold on screen- especially since the bullying is directly related to Jo’s living situation.
  
• Teen risks own life to rescue horse
  When the barn catches fire, Beauty and the other horses are trapped inside. Jo runs into the fire, against the warning of her uncle, in order to save her. In the end all the animals get out safely and Jo is hailed as a bit of a hero. When children have experienced trauma, they sometimes tend to have underdeveloped self-preservation instincts. They were in dangerous situations frequently enough that they no longer feel the need to avoid such activities, especially if they put themselves in harm’s way to protect younger siblings or others in the home. Because of this they may see nothing wrong with Jo risking her life to save the life of the horses, and it may reinforce their own tendency towards risk-taking behaviors.
  
• Minor Harm/Peril caused by being around animals
  There is a scene where Uncle John is dragged behind Beauty for a while, though no harm comes to him. There are also a few scenes where Beauty scares/chases a boy away when he tries to feed her and several instances where Jo and others fall from horses. No one is seriously harmed in any of these scenes and anyone who has been around horses knows that falls are always an inherent risk. But if children have experienced trauma around animals or have a fear of animals these scenes might add to that.
• Animal put in Perilous situations
  One of Beauty’s owners is part of a search and rescue team. While he takes good care of her and is kind, she is put in dangerous situations such as walking along the edge of steep cliffs and assisting in rescuing people from raging rivers and other dangerous situations.
• Elemental disasters (Fire and Water)
  In one scene a groom forgets to turn off a heater and the entire barn catches on fire with the horses inside. Later, when Beauty works at a search and rescue and on one mission, we see her and her handler attempting to rescue a man from a raging river. Then Beauty’s handler is lost under the water and Beauty puts herself in danger to rescue him. In both cases everyone ends up okay, but for children who have experienced trauma related to water or fire, these scenes may be triggering.
• Animal Death
  Towards the end of the movie Beauty is briefly reunited with Ginger, her friend from Birtwick, who’s being overworked and mistreated as a Central-Park carriage horse. Shortly thereafter we see a trailer being pulled through the street with several partially covered horse bodies on it and Beauty makes a comment about Ginger having passed away. Later, we hear Beauty describe another horse as having “given up” and there is a scene of men coming in and removing horses with the implication that they’re going to “get rid of them”.

Discussion Guide:

1. When Beauty felt like something strange was happening, she went to investigate on her own, breaking one of her family’s rules and as a result the humans find their herd and capture them. How do you think this made Beauty feel? How could she have handled things differently?
   Caregiver Note: Beauty blames herself for losing her mother and putting herself and her family in danger because she broke the rules. She feels a lot of guilt about this. It’s important when talking about this with children to emphasize that while she did make a mistake, she wasn’t responsible for the bad things that happened and that though they have likely made mistakes in their lives they aren’t responsible for any of the trauma they experienced either. And while this is and important distinction to make, this can also be a good way to talk about what a better choice might have been—such as telling a trusted adult her concerns rather than investigating them on her own.
2. How does Beauty feel about her new home at Birtwick? Have you ever had a similar experience?
   Caregiver Note: At first, Beauty is uncertain about her new home. However once she settles in, she says, “It was peaceful here. And I finally, I slept.” When children are removed from their home or move from placement to placement it can lead to them struggling to feel safe. Beauty’s statement of things being peaceful and being able to sleep indicate that she had finally found a place where she feels safe. Depending on where they are in their foster care/adoptive journey, children may or may not be able to relate to the way Beauty feels, as they may still be experiencing uncertainty about their living situation.
3. When training the horses John explains, “the biggest rule is: I can’t get angry or frustrated at him. If I get angry, he’ll feel it. He’ll get angry too.” Do you think there is any truth to this statement? Have you ever noticed this happening?
   Caregiver Note: It’s easy to get caught up in the emotions of others—if you’re in a room full of people smiling and laughing, you’re more likely to feel your mood lifted. Similarly, if you’re with a bunch of people who are sad or scared or angry, that it’s likely to affect your mood as well. This is especially true with young children and animals. Sometimes, they have a new experience and are unsure of how to respond, so they look to those around them to learn what the appropriate way to act and feel is. Emotional regulation is also especially difficult for children who have experienced trauma, because they likely didn’t learn the necessary skills when they were young. Therefore they are incredibly likely to pick up on our moods and emotions. You can talk about how this relates not only to animals, but to people as well, and how to manage emotions when things like this come up to avoid mirrored escalating. (For example, instead of having a conversation while angry, and both parties getting angrier in turn, taking a few deep breaths, counting, taking a short walk or a break to calm down first can be a good strategy).

4. Why do you think Beauty and Jo are able to connect when Beauty avoided all other humans?
   Caregiver Note: Beauty and Jo are a lot alike and they are initially able to bond over their shared trauma. They’ve both lost people they loved, their parents and their homes and are in this new unfamiliar place. It can be difficult for children who have experienced trauma to relate to other peers who haven’t been through as much and who may not understand how they feel, at least not fully. Jo is also very patient with Beauty, she takes her time getting to know her slowly and doesn’t force the relationship. This conversation can be a great way to get some insight into how children wish to be approached and how you can work towards gaining their trust.
5. How does Jo get Beauty to wear a bridle? Why did she succeed when John had failed?
   Caregiver Note: Jo helps Beauty adjust to the process slowly- she even does things like put the bridle on her own head to show that it won’t hurt her and letting her smell and feel it before trying to put it on her. She also talks to her all through the process and explains what she’s doing and why. But the most important reason she succeeds where others failed is because of the established and trusting relationship she has with Beauty. Beauty trusts her not to do anything that will harm her and that will be in her best interest. This can be similar to the way that a child is more willing to try new things with a caregiver they trust.

6. Beauty says, “when I was sad, I ran as fast as I could.” Do you think this helps her feel better? Is there something you like to do when you feel sad that helps?
   Caregiver Note: Sometimes when we have really big feelings, it can help to have an activity to channel those feelings into. This activity will likely be different for each person—it may be running, going for a walk, or another physical activity. It might be something artistic such as writing or drawing. It might be as simple as having a quiet place to listen to music or just be alone and think. The important thing is to talk to kids about what works for them and even experiment a little if they aren’t sure.

7. When Beauty is leased out after the fire, Jo is able to go with her and work as a groom so she can keep an eye on her. How does this new stable differ from Birtwick? How do Jo and Beauty deal with adjusting to this new environment?
   Caregiver Note: The new stable is a much more regimented environment than Birtwick which is a big adjustment for both Jo and Beauty. For Beauty she is not in the care of Jo and rather has to work with Georgina, who is spoiled and demanding. Beauty is made to endure uncomfortable conditions. Meanwhile, Jo struggles to fit in with the other grooms and feels out of place in her environment. She also has a difficult time being near Beauty but not in control of what happens to her. They are able to get through these challenges because of their friendships, both with one another and others. Jo makes friends with George and Beauty is able to be around her horse friend, Ginger. This can lead into a conversation about how sometimes kids might have to do things that are challenging or scary but if they have positive relationships with friends, caregivers, etc. that can make things easier to endure.

8. Beauty says often that she’s angry about various things that happen to her. Do you think she has reason to be angry? How does she deal with her anger?
   Caregiver Note: Anger is a common and normal response to experiencing trauma, and one children are likely to relate to. Ultimately, Beauty is angry about her lack of control. She is moved from owner to owner, home to home, and feels like she has no say and no control over these events in her life. Beauty sometimes expresses her anger well and constructively. When Georgiana is trying to force her to do things she doesn’t want to do, instead of throwing her off like she wants to, she kneels down and rolls over. She expresses how she feels about the situation clearly but without lashing out or hurting anyone else. Other times, it’s less so, such as in one unpleasant environment when she tries biting and kicking hoping that will get her sent home, but it only gets her sent away somewhere worse. Talk about the different ways Beauty expresses herself and the consequences of these choices. You can also discuss how children should respond and express their own anger or other feelings in an appropriate manner.
9. Beauty goes through many different owners/homes and some of them don’t treat her very well. How does she manage to get through these hard times?
   Caregiver note: Beauty is very resilient, in part because of the early trauma she experienced being taken from her family. These difficulties made her stronger and better able to withstand the additional mistreatment that came to her. Probably the biggest protective factor for Beauty, however, was her special relationship with Jo. All through the bad homes and trauma Beauty holds on to the fact that Jo loves her, and she is one day going to get back to her. She remembers how kindly she was treated and believes that she’ll be able to find her way back to her. This gives her the hope she needs to endure all the challenges thrown her way and survive until she is indeed reunited. She also had some good owners mixed in; her owner at the search and rescue was kind to her, even though the work was hard. The same with her first owner in New York, the family was kind to her even though her living quarters were small and she worked a lot. Beauty also makes a point of trying to find the good in her various situations. When she works at the search and rescue, for example, she thinks about how she enjoys being in nature like she was when she was young. This can be another opportunity to talk with kids about the protective factors they have whether it’s in personality traits or relationships, and how they can nurture those things in their life so that if they do experience a difficult situation again they are able to get through it.

10. ACTIVITY- Connecting with Animals
    Caregiver Note: After watching this movie there are probably going to be a lot of kids who long for a horse of their own, like Beauty. And for 99% of the world, that’s probably not something that is going to happen. However there has been a lot of research showing the healing power of building relationships with animals. Now, I’m not telling you to run out and bring home a new pet. But there are lots of other ways to give children the opportunity to experience animal relationships. There are a lot of really cool equine therapy programs out there, and many local horse rescues allow visitors to tour the facility and meet some of the horses. Some local libraries also sponsor programs where children can read to therapy animals or animals in a local shelter if cats/dogs are more their speed. These can be great opportunities for children to be around animals in a safe and controlled environment without the long-term commitment of a pet. Some children also find it easier to relate to and bond with an animal, because they love without judgement or expectation. If none of these types of programs are an option, or if children are nervous around animals, you could spend some time together out in nature and maybe look at what sort of creatures (deer, birds, squirrels, insects, etc.) you can find and talk about the ways in which we share the world with one another.

About the Author: Jenn Ehlers

Jenn is a central Virginia native who received her BA in Psychology from the University of Virginia in 2012. Since then she has worked for a local mental health agency and the Department of Social Services in various capacities and has been involved in her community’s efforts to create a Trauma Informed Network. Currently Jenn works in vocational rehab and mentors youth in foster care. When she isn’t working, Jenn enjoys writing stories, anything and everything Harry Potter, and spending time with her niece and nephew.

**Transfiguring Adoption is a nonprofit organization seeking to nurture growth in foster and adoptive families by giving a HOOT about their families. Transfiguring Adoption does not intend for its reviewers nor its review to be professional, medical or legal advice. These reviews and discussion guides are intended to help parents to better be able to connect and understand their children who come from traumatic backgrounds.