A pedigree gallop

Rating: 7/10 (18 October 2015)

Seabiscuit is an old fashioned feel good film with Rockyesque aspirations of an underdog in a depression era USA which brings hope to a nation.
Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) is a wealthy car dealer (shades of Tucker about Bridges role) who has suffered losses when the depression struck. Tom Smith (Chris Cooper) is a veteran trainer who fixes injured horses and Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) a Canadian jockey blinded in one eye and has a short fuse.
Then there is Seabiscuit a mistreated and temperamental colt. Red and Seabiscuit who are both volatile become close and the horse racks up some impressive victories in the west coast and captures the public's imagination but there are more obstacles to overcome.
Director Gary Ross gives the film plenty of heart and sentimentality and just about gets away with it because the cast invest so much in the story despite some well worn clichés but uplifts you as the viewer.