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A Cowgirl's Story

Name: A Cowgirl's Story
Director: Timothy Armstrong
Released: 2017
Duration: 98 min

Representation Score

2.4/10

Limited

2017

Director

Timothy Armstrong

Runtime

98 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

A Cowgirl's Story follows a typical coming-of-age storyline centered around patriotism and social cohesion. While it highlights character development through friendships, it adheres to a traditional framework that upholds current social structures. The film excels in depicting female leadership and bridging different social groups. However, it falls short in providing multi-layered depth and diversity, maintaining a focus on a homogeneous demographic and reinforcing traditional values.

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Category Breakdown

Does A Cowgirl's Story have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film showcases a close relationship between Dusty and Savanah, connecting cowgirl culture with goth subcultures. However, it doesn't explicitly show non-straight relationships or intimate moments.

How does A Cowgirl's Story portray gender?

Fair

Dusty shows strong leadership by forming an Equestrian Drill Team. However, the story stays rooted in traditional family dynamics and military-themed emotional arcs.

How racially and ethnically diverse is A Cowgirl's Story?

Limited

The story focuses on a mostly uniform demographic without a diverse cast or efforts to challenge racial norms in the high school environment.

How does A Cowgirl's Story represent religion and culture?

Limited

The narrative emphasizes traditional Western values, highlighting patriotism and the stability of the military family unit. It prioritizes personal resilience within these structures.

Does A Cowgirl's Story include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any characters with physical, neurodivergent, or mental health disabilities.

Present on Screen

Dusty demonstrates strong leadership by founding the Equestrian Drill Team.
The film effectively explores meaningful connections between characters from different subcultures.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks racial and ethnic diversity, focusing on a seemingly homogeneous cast.
The story reinforces traditional social hierarchies and patriotic norms without challenging them.
There is no visible representation of disability or neurodivergent characters.

Official Synopsis

Dusty Rhodes is new at Jefferson High, and she sticks out like a... well, a cowgirl. Dusty is a real cowgirl from Texas. Her parents are in the U.S. Army: her mother a helicopter pilot and her father a Special Forces Army Ranger. At first, Dusty is an outcast, but eventually she makes friends with a group that includes Savanah, a girl whose father was killed while fighting in Iraq three years earlier. Even though Savanah is kind of Goth and Dusty is all cowgirl they have a special connection and they bond. Dusty gets the school to agree to an Equestrian Drill Team and she enlists her new city slicker friends to join the team. As Dusty and the team practice, Dusty deals with the fears that come with her mother fighting in Afghanistan.

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