Seabiscuit DVD Review

"SEABISCUIT" reviews

DVD

SEABISCUIT

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2005-10-26 11:16:32

Provider

MRIB

DVD Review

Set during the Great Depression, director Gary Ross's film follows the exploits of a team that has entered horse racing folk lore: unconventional trainer Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), millionaire owner Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), oversized jockey 'Red' Pollard (Tobey Maguire) and, of course, Seabiscuit, a horse that beat the odds to become a legend, as they take the racing world by storm.

Adapted from Laura Hillenbrand's best-selling novel, this is an entertaining and heartening film. It would be easy to dismiss the notion of a movie about horse-racing and it's effect on the morale of a broken populace but Seabiscuit is so much more than that - it carries the message that whatever life may throw at you, you can succeed. OK, so that may sound a touch trite but Ross manages to convey this without overdoing the schmaltz and cheese.

The cast are very good but probably the biggest challenge Ross faced while shooting Seabiscuit were the races themselves as, let's be honest, racing isn't the most exciting sport going. That said he manages to keep you on the edge of your seat as Seabiscuit and his opponents turn the last corner and head for home.

Unexpectedly enjoyable, this film manages to pip its racing rivals by a nose.

Copyright © MRIB 2005.