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Poster (c) Universal Pictures
What are the three words that strike fear into the hearts of men everywhere? Those three little words: �A true story�. Usually when a story is Hollywoodized, it loses its dramatic impact and adds on sap. Although I have not read the book by Laura Hillenbrand, it�s evident that the story of Seabiscuit was not jazzed up much for the theaters. It�s not bubbling with sentiment, such as based-on-true-story movies usually are, and it has an authentic feel to it that makes Seabiscuit seem levelheaded, not conceited, and therefore tells a long, interesting, and predictable story that takes place in the Depression.
For the first third of this three-part film, we see Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) become a great car salesman, Tom Smith (Chris Cooper) is a trainer who can calm the wildest horse, and Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire), a literate, well-to-do boy who becomes a jockey. Then all of them meet and raise a horse, Seabiscuit, a wild and untimely horse whose backstory we find out but don�t really care that much about. Although rather large for a jockey, Red rides Seabiscuit, who is rather small for a racehorse, trained by Tom, who is rather old for a trainer, and owned by Charles, who, as he says, is �too dumb to know the difference.�
In many ways, Seabiscuit is 2003�s Road to Perdition. Both are early Oscar contenders, and are widely critically acclaimed, but probably won�t bust the box office. Both have Oscar-winning actors in its cast. However, Seabiscuit is also different in many ways. Mainly, I found the first part of it almost boring, not very exciting. The subplot with literature in Red�s family wasn�t executed as well as it could have been, and, frankly, didn�t like Red in the beginning simply because of his family. Of course, he grows on you, and soon you�re rooting for him.
Bridges, yet again, acts greatly, and will probably be overlooked by the Academy, simply because he isn�t in an �Oscar movie�, a movie made just to win Oscars. Although he probably shouldn�t win, at least give the man a nomination! Cooper proves once again that just because he has an Oscar he�s a great actor. He was superb in American Beauty, but just acceptable in Adaptation., and here he�s also just acceptable. He, thankfully, is not in many scenes. Maguire doesn�t act, instead his badly dyed hair does. It�s scarier than your great-grandfather without his teeth in.
Yet, of course, the best parts of Seabiscuit are the racing scenes. Although it�s obvious that a camera was just hooked up to a horse or something behind them, with the Surround Sound and everything, it really seems like you�re in the action. It�s extremely predictable what�s going to happen, but even still I was so excited, I was surprised. I was just about ready to jump up for joy! It�s great filmmaking (from Gary Ross, Pleasantville) that can make you feel that: predictability and yet excitement. Seabiscuit�s pace ebbs and flows, but overall you won�t be disappointed if you take a trip out to your local multiplex.
Rated PG-13 for some sexual situations and violent sports-related images.
Review Date: July 25, 2003
