Seabiscuit Review
by Bob Bloom (bobbloom AT iquest DOT net)July 25th, 2003
SEABISCUIT (2003) 4 stars out of 4. Starring Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, Gary Stevens and William H. Macy. Narrated by David McCullough. Director of Photography John Schartzman. Music by Randy Newman. Based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand. Written for the screen and directed by Gary Ross. Rated PG-13. Running time: Approx. 142 mins.
A little more than halfway through the year, a top Oscar contender has pulled away from the rest of the field, leaving most of the other films of 2003 in the dust.
And if the conditions are right, Seabiscuit could go all the way, crossing the finish line to pick up some Academy Award gold.
Seabiscuit is a godsend, an oasis in a summer of mindless spectacle. Here is a human story, an inspirational tale about real people -- and one special horse -- who conquer adversity without so much as a light saber.
They prevail because of heart, compassion, trust, dedication, love and commitment. They triumph because they overcome their troubles by helping each other and in the process come to appreciate themselves as well as those closest to them.
Some people, those cynics and snobs who thrive on finding fault, may warn that Seabiscuit reeks of platitudes, that it's overly sentimental and manipulates the heartstrings.
Ignore them as you would the town gossip.
Seabiscuit celebrates the human spirit. It is more than the story of a horse, a long shot who rose from the depths to become a champion. It also is the story of three people who refused to give up on themselves and each other.
Writer-director Gary Ross, adapting the best-seller by Laura Hillenbrand, places the rise, success and celebrity of Seabiscut in the historical context of the Great Depression, explaining why the horse became a symbol for so many of that sad era's downtrodden.
Ross opens the film by weaving the story of three men, Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), Tom Smith (Chris Cooper) and Johnny "Red" Pollard (Tobey Maguire), and the divergent paths they followed until their destinies crossed in the mid-1930s.
Life tries -- and fails -- to break each one. Howard, a millionaire businessman who lost everything; Smith, a cowboy, who saw his world vanish; and Pollard, the young man whose spirit is decimated, but whose competitiveness continued to burn.
What brought them together was a down-and-out, abused racehorse, which everyone else had given up on. Together, the owner, the trainer and the jockey, transformed this beaten down animal into a champion.
Like a night when all the stars and planets converge in the heavens to offer a breathtaking spectacle, so the talents of these three actors, the acumen of Ross, the brilliant photography of John Schwartzman and the soaring score by Randy Newman have converged to create a wondrous movie experience that should not be missed.
This could be the film that finally wins Bridges a long overdue Academy Award. His understated and naturalistic portrayal of Howard, the optimist and visionary who refused to resign himself to failure, is brilliant. Bridges uses his usual understated and unfussy manner to let us see that understanding and sympathy can be as powerful as money.
Cooper brings a quiet dignity and strength to the role of the animal loving Smith who sees in Seabiscuit what others have missed -- the heart of a champion, a being who will not quit and is fueled by competition.
As the classics-quoting Pollard, Maguire gets to portray his first adult. Abandoned by his parents, Pollard is left to fend for himself in a cruel world in which he must use his fists and wits to survive and conquer his inner demons.
He and Seabiscuit form a common bond; both have been discarded, but like the horse, a fire rages within Pollard that can only be quenched by victory.
Ross shows how the growing popularity of radio helped make Seabiscuit a household name. And he is helped along by commentator "Tick-Tock" McGlaughlin, a comically honed supporting turn by the always dependable William H. Macy who brings the right amount of flamboyance to the role.
Seabiscuit is a triumph. Its nearly 2 1/2 hours fly by as quickly as a turn around Pimlico. You don't have to be a fan of horse racing to appreciate this feature. Whether or not the sport of kings is in your blood, you will be cheering in the aisles for this modern masterpiece.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or at [email protected]. Other reviews by Bloom can be found at www.jconline.com by clicking on movies.
Bloom's reviews also appear on the Web at the Rottentomatoes Web site, www.rottentomatoes.com and at the Internet Movie Database:
http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
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