MOVIE REVIEW

Seabiscuit  (2003)

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper
Director: Gary Ross

Rating: PG-13

Studio: Universal

Release Date: 7.25.03

Review Posted: 7.30.03

Spoilers: Minor/Major

By Rachel Sexton

"Seabiscuit" a Welcome Inspiration and Oscar Contender

Today, the most popular racing is of the four-wheeled kind, not the four-legged. That may change a bit now with the release of Universal’s Seabiscuit. A triumph of acting and story, Seabiscuit is a crowd-pleaser that could very well be an Oscar contender.

Based on Laura Hillenbrand’s bestseller, the film tells the true story of a horse named Seabiscuit that captured the hearts of America during the Great Depression. It focuses on the three men around the horse, the owner Charles Howard, trainer Tom Smith, and jockey Johnny “Red” Pollard, and much on the horse’s career. The beginning of the film sets up the position of these three men before they enter each other’s lives and before they find their new best friend. Howard (Jeff Bridges) has had financial success, the tragic death of his son, his divorce, and his remarriage to deal with. Smith (Chris Cooper) seems to live a lonely, rootless existence. Pollard (Tobey Maguire) was left by his family to do what he does best, which is to ride, and is blind in one eye. Through the inspiration of a horse that overcame being too small and a bad runner to beat the best racehorses of the time, these three men will begin to heal.

The first shots of the film are pictures of the original Model-T accompanied by a voice-over narration. Combined, these create an effective introduction to the setting of the story. The introductions of the three main characters are successful, as the stories of Howard and Pollard are so touching, while the introduction of Smith takes full advantage of beautiful California scenery. The introduction of Seabiscuit himself is memorable as well, as the horse is slowly revealed to Smith through dense early-morning fog.

Moreover, the story here is so inspiring. These three men, especially Pollard, all face obstacles as they ready the horse for its destiny. Seabiscuit also encapsulates what’s best about sports films in general. The races here are all so exciting (and historically accurate) and director Gary Ross found innovative ways to use cameras to capture the action. The showdown between Seabiscuit and War Admiral is the centerpiece of the film and its tension is extreme until the end when you literally want to jump up in the theater and cheer. Much of the dialogue is well written, too.

Furthermore, there are some other directorial touches here that are memorable. Music emphasizes the CRASH newspaper headline when the stock market crashes. At one point, a boxing picture cuts to real boxing. There is one moment of excellent composition just before the Santa Anita race. Also, with this fine cast, outstanding performances are pretty much guaranteed. Bridge’s character is emphasized a bit more in the first half and the actor offers some of his best work. Cooper is cast perfectly and very believable. Maguire more than carries himself with them, playing a tougher character than ever before.

In the end, the inspirational story and amazing performances are the reason to see the well-made Seabiscuit. A film that makes you feel this good is more welcome than ever.

Rating: êêêê 1/2  (out of 5)

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