Might as well be a movie about baseball. . . [spoiler]

Rating: 5/10 (7 September 2003)

A period piece with an outstanding cast and what would seem to be an original plot, Seabiscuit, at first glance, appears to be a winner. Who would have thought to make a modern production of a racehorse movie?
Well, appearances can be deceiving.
While I have few complaints about the actors or their roles, this movie is just another rehashing of the age-old sports movie about the underdog that somehow pulls through. Is it great that the undersized horse and its oversized jockey wins? Sure it is. Is it wonderful that both of them overcome adversity and physical harm? Absolutely. Is it touching that a millionaire would take the financial risk to back what would otherwise seem to be a poor investment? Of course.
Should an entire movie have been produced on the subject? Nah. . . A documentary, which would have forgone the typical overdramatisation and unlikely empathy of the characters, would have been much more entertaining, if not a more appropriate medium to tell the story.
In movie form, Seabiscuit is little more than the same story about the disadvantaged athlete that somehow overcomes all odds to be the best at what he or she does. While one might be inclined to take the humanity of the story into account-- the disenfranchised jockey who seems to bloom with his ride-- the tale robs even that aspect from the audience by changing the rider near the end of the film.
In the end, this movie is about a horse who runs around in circles really, really quickly. Really. . . who cares?