Solid cast can't overcome silly plot

Rating: 6/10 (17 October 1999)

Before this film came out, there had never been a really good stock car movie (with all apologies to Redline 7000, a pretty good stock car movie and a template for this flick). The streak continues, as yeoman effort by able cast can't overcome the silliness of the plot. Cruise is fine as brash newcomer to Nascar, and Duvall is great as always as his crew chief haunted by past failures. But the Nascar advisor must have been sleeping, or ill or something when they did the actual racing scenes. And the romantic plot-line just doesn't click. As a stock car fan, I'm still waiting.