Well-executed, if necessarily abbreviated, ode to the underdog

Rating: 8/10 (28 July 2003)

My sister and I saw Seabiscuit on its opening weekend in a packed theater occupied primarily by folks in the 55+ age range. We were flanked by older couples in their 70s, which was a refreshing change from the teenager-dominated crowds at so many movies these days. We found it surprising, though, that the audience was very vocal during the movie, responding to onscreen incidents with sighs, hearty laughs, and running commentary ("Oh, that poor boy!").
Such commentary usually would constitute a huge annoyance, but it only added to the warmth and charm of Seabiscuit, a well-executed if necessarily abbreviated ode to the underdog.
I have never been horseracing fan, but I loved Laura Hillenbrand's entertaining book, which provided the source material for the film. The book gave almost equal place to four characters: owner Charles Howard, trainer Tom Smith, jockey Red Pollard, and Seabiscuit himself. The film concentrates more on Howard (Jeff Bridges) and Pollard (Tobey Maguire), leaving the mysterious Tom Smith (Chris Cooper) less fleshed out. The necessity of trimming several events also shortchanges the heroism of the horse himself. The book featured more focus on the obstacles Seabiscuit had to overcome -- from chronic bad luck to unfair weight assignments from track officials -- which accentuated his underdog appeal and put his victories in context.
That said, I loved the movie. True, the beginning is mostly exposition, but I loved the David McCullough-narrated history lessons. From beginning to end, there are many heart-rending moments, and Jeff Bridges is wonderful, making the rags-to-riches salesman Howard as endearing, warmhearted, impulsive, charismatic, yet flawed as the real Howard must have been to try -- and pull off -- so many grand schemes. Tobey Maguire is good but far too tall. (Why couldn't he have been resized by the magic of f/x, as with the Hobbits in LOTR?) Chris Cooper is, as usual, very good (his stoicism in contrast to Bridges' hyperactivity exemplifies acting with restraint), but the script too often makes him use his even drawl to deliver straight-faced punchlines.
Ah, but that's quibbling. It's a fun movie; enjoy it, and if you want to get a deeper, broader and just-as-moving version of the story, read Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit.