Sonny (aka Pony Rides[3]) is a 2002 American crime drama film starring James Franco, Harry Dean Stanton, Brenda Blethyn, Mena Suvari and Josie Davis.

Based on a screenplay by John Carlen, the film marked the directorial debut of Nicolas Cage,[4] who makes a cameo appearance.

[5] Sonny (Franco) is the son of Jewel (Blethyn), who runs a small brothel in the early 1980s New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jewel has recently recruited a new girl to the brothel, Carol (Suvari), who meets Sonny and falls in love with him.

The site's consensus states: "Sonny is sunk by debuting director Nicolas Cage's evident inability to locate the heart of his movie's story—or properly modulate his cast's performances.