Movie Review: Seabiscuit

Seabiscuit

When I first heard about the movie Seabiscuit some months ago, there was little that interested me. I think horses are nice enough, but I've received little exposure to them and so don't have that passion for the animals that many girls have growing up. I don't have an interest in horse racing. And the history of champion horses is something I know next to nothing about and certainly haven't been inspired to learn. The icing on the cake, of course, is the name of the horse. Who on earth would name an animal something as ridiculous as "Seabiscuit"? (It turns out some immediate family members are such as "Hard Tack" and "Tea Biscuit", so with a little research, it makes more sense than I originally thought.) But as I saw more detailed trailers for the movie, I began to realize that there might be more to Seabiscuit than merely horses or racing, and I became convinced I should at least give the film a chance. Ironically, Seabiscuit is all about second chances and the value that can be realized by those who receive them.

Seabiscuit, of course, is the true story of a horse who raced during the Great Depression. It's a story that very nearly didn't happen. Seabiscuit was of the line of the great racer Man o' War, but he showed little promise. He was too small. He was slightly malformed (and with a bad knee to complicate matters further). He was lazy and ill tempered. And he just wasn't that fast. Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) was a self-made millionaire who lived happily with his wife and family until his son was killed and his wife left him, causing him to believe he had little or nothing left for which to live. Tom Smith (Chris Cooper) was a real cowboy who, watching the western ranges be fenced and tamed, saw his lifestyle slipping away and who was left with nothing but his knack with horses and a cynical outlook. Johnny "Red" Pollard (Tobey Maguire) was a boy who loved riding and who showed a real talent for it. But when the losses of the Depression took his family from him, he became a surly itinerant who would do almost anything just to stay near the horses he loved.

With his new wife, Marcela (Elizabeth Banks), at his side, Howard tries to take an interest in something, and that something is horses. He hires Smith solely because he instinctively feels he could be a great trainer. And Smith, who sees something in Seabiscuit's eyes, considers Red to be the horse's kindred spirit and he talks Howard into buying the horse and hiring the jockey. And so, like it says in the movie trailer, a man who is too old trains a horse who is too small and ridden by a jockey who is too big, all for an owner who is "too dumb to know the difference". And as history notes, Seabiscuit becomes the great champion he was meant to be, thanks to men who, having received second chances themselves, believed the horse was worth another look as well.

Tobey Maguire, who you'll recall bulked up to play Spider-Man, lost a great deal of weight so as to convincingly play Red Pollard (according to the production notes for the movie, the 160 pound Maguire dieted and exercised down to 137 pounds). In combination with red hair dye, Maguire actually bears some resemblence to Pollard. His formidible acting skills take care of the rest, and it's easy to believe in him as the jockey who became so close to a horse who didn't allow closeness from many. Chris Cooper, of course, is never less than stellar in any of his roles (he was brilliant in American Beauty, and won an Oscar™ for his supporting role in last year's Adaptation). He's taciturn in Seabiscuit, but that's perfectly appropriate for a man whose nickname in real life was "Silent Tom". Jeff Bridges is terrific as Charles Howard, and he could very well garner some award nominations for his part as a man who makes himself, and then remakes himself after he's emotionally destroyed. The wonderful character actor, William H. Macy, plays the only role of the movie that's not an historical fact. Tick Tock McGlaughlin is the racetrack announcer and radio personality who helps tie some scenes together with his more than entertaining narrative. But the real surprise here is Gary Stevens, the man who plays brilliant jockey George "The Iceman" Woolf. I didn't know it before I saw the film, and I never would have guessed that Stevens isn't an actor. He's a real life jockey who has won over 4,700 races and millions of dollars in prize money during his career. But if he wants to be an actor in retirement, he's certainly good enough to do just that.

The camera techniques in Seabiscuit are fantastic. Combined with some judicious editing, the races are such that my heart was pounding despite my avowed disinterest in racing - or the fact I knew in advance how most of the races were going to turn out. The script is also very good, particularly considering it was adapted from a highly detailed book. My only complaint regarding Seabiscuit involves the background information at the beginning of the film, needed to establish both the characters and the setting of the story. While the script was okay, the editing could have been managed better. The end result was somewhat jerky and more than a little jarring. It did convey the needed information, however, and the balance of the movie was everything I was afraid it wouldn't be. Seabiscuit is both heartbreaking and uplifting, as well as a story from which we could all learn a little something. I highly recommend this movie, and so would others in the full theatre where I attended a showing. How do I know? Seabiscuit is first movie I've seen in many months where the audience actually offered sustained applause when it was over. Judging from the brimming eyes of many patrons, their applause was at least partly offered in memory of a truly great and courageous horse.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: Seabiscuit is rated PG-13. This is really a story for grown-ups, though I can't see the harm in letting anyone of about 10 and up see the movie. There's no graphic violence, very little rough language, and no sexual content whatsoever. The story also offers some valuable lessons about judging books by their covers and the honor of offering - and accepting - a second chance.