Go, boy, go

Rating: 8/10 (13 November 2003)

In the tradition of overtly sentimental and feel-good movies from Hollywood, Seabiscuit makes a good stab at becoming the ultimate horse movie (if ever there was such a thing). It appears right that sentiment is consigned to stolid lip-biting and mute scenes of grief but less pleasing that any feel-good factor is replaced by only small doses of excitement and wisps of knowledge from the spin-king Bridges. Having said this however, Seabiscuit is a very credible movie cheapened only by the narration that appears to gloss other great swathes of the history of the horse. There must be more to know about this seemingly amazing horse? What we get instead is the lives of the jockey, the trainer, and the owner. Each in their own way moving, but each also in fits and starts. Bridges and Maguire's lives are covered in depth but Chris Cooper's admirable part is left to hang in the wind and we never really know what motivates him. The result being that too many strands are forced together. Admittedly, most of these work very nicely but they contrive to give the film an extended running time. Happily however, the film does not peak too early and leaves enough for a pleasing dash down the final straight.