Horsegirls [Tribeca Festival Review]
Margarita (Lillian Carrier) was, as she proudly proclaims, named after the beverage her parents were drunk on the night she was conceived. This young woman is an autistic 22-year-old with a college degree but very little direction. Her cancer-stricken mother Sandy (Gretchen Mol) not so subtly nudges her in various directions. Their relationship, and how the intermittent tension between them finally pushes Margarita out of her comfort zone, is at the center of Lauren Meyering’s Horsegirls, a sweet, charming dramedy that screened in the US Narrative Competition section at the 2025 Tribeca Festival.
The one thing Margarita is passionate about is horses. She even rides a three-wheeled bike with a fake horse head attached to the basket in front. Sandy convinces her to get a job, which she does at a Halloween store run by sympathetic manager Hank (Iqbal Theba). What her mom and boss don’t know is that she sneaks out early to practice with a hobby horse dance team where all the girls are about a decade younger. The coach (Jarod Haynes) is prepping to take his team to a competition.
I admit that after screening Horsegirls, I went online to see if such competitions actually exist. They do. It wouldn’t matter if they didn’t, though, because the story fundamentally works either way. Margarita is largely rejected by the other girls, and she doesn’t really care. Sandy won’t let her ride a real horse, so this is as close as she’s going to get. Being a team member gives her a purpose and a sense of confidence that doesn’t come from other sources. The question then becomes whether her mom will accept the choice, especially as her cancer worsens.
Meyering wrote the screenplay based on a story by Mackenzie Breeden. It is filled with beautifully observed mother/daughter moments, as well as dialogue that’s alternately witty and incisive. In a wise choice, they opt not to make the competition the plot’s lynchpin. The film isn’t about whether the dance team wins; it’s about how this unusual activity helps Margarita start to find her place in the world. After a lifetime of feeling different, she gradually begins to accept herself.
Lillian Carrier is a true discovery in the lead role. The neurodivergent actress brings honesty and charisma to Margarita, quickly earning our affection. Her performance has depth, allowing us to understand the character’s emotions even during those times when she struggles to understand them herself. Carrier holds her own opposite Gretchen Mol, who once again proves to be one of the most authentic actresses working today. The Millers in Marriage star conveys the dual fears that drive Sandy – fear of dying and fear of what will happen to her daughter when she does die. Watching these two women in scenes together is an absolute pleasure.
Horsegirls has a fresh voice and a big heart. It’s a very special movie.
© 2025 Mike McGranaghan