Rating: 
Summary: A good (and inspiring) film for the whole family
Review: Based (loosely) on the book by Laura Hillenbrand, this movie manages to deftly entertain while also providing a look at Depression era America... a time when a horse like Seabiscuit, down on its luck but not giving up, captured the hearts of so many. My entire family loved it.
The strong points of this movie:
1. Toby Maguire's realistic portrayal of "Red" the jockey whose fiery personality is a match for Seabiscuit's equally tempermental ways. It makes sense that they'd sense a kindred spirit in one another.
2.Jeff Bridges is equally compelling as a man who has lost heart and needs to find a way to feel alive again after suffering a major tragedy. He also has the insight to recognize the potential in an eccentric trainer (played by Chris Cooper), touchy horse and a quick-tempered jockey.
3. William Macy, always a solid actor, gives one his best performances as a crazy radio sports announcer, complete with sound effects. He provides welcome comic relief in the film.
The weaknesses? Well, I'd have given it 5 stars except that director Gary Ross presented the story with just a bit too much reverence, oversentimental at times - but this is really a minor flaw in a movie which is mostly quite well-done.
Rating: 
Summary: A long shot becomes a legend
Review: In the middle of a summer of bad sequels "Seabiscuit" came along as a bit of fresh air. No other film this year thus far has been filled with such emotion, beauty, and heart. "Seabiscuit" is a rare gem of a film. It does not rely on special-effects, explosions, or cheap romances. The beauty of this film is that it is simply about the pure heart of a horse and the people around him.Writer/Director Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Big) adapted Laura Hillenbrand's painstakingly researched bestseller into an amazing script. The story itself is so extraordinary that, if it hadn't happened, wouldn't have been remotely plausible as a film. If Seabiscuit wasn't a real horse, I would have taken one look at this film and said "Ridiculous! Like that could really happen!" The fact that the story is true makes "Seabiscuit" an even more beautiful and emotional journey. Tobey Maguire plays Red Pollard, a half-blind, oversized jockey who was abandoned by his family as a child and now rides the worst horses at the worst races. Chris Cooper plays Tom Smith, an old fashioned horse trainer who prefers the company of a horse to that of a person who one day finds a barbed wire fence and cars in the middle of his wilderness homeland. Jeff Bridges plays Charles Howard, a self-invented millionaire dealing with the loss of his only son. These three "broken" men and a banged up little racehorse unite together and beat incredible odds to become an inspiration to a nation that isn't in the best shape itself. Everything in this film is amazing. From the remarkable racing scenes to Randy Newman's haunting score, "Seabiscuit" is one film you won't want to miss. Please excuse my vagueness, I can't put into words how astounding this film is (as you can probably tell from this dismal review). I am just so in awe that words escape me!
Rating:
Summary: Okay, I was impressed - in general
Review: My husband and I rented this movie last week. In general we loved it. To be honest, no one told us it was going to be funny as well as entertaining and historically accurate. The film angles were wonderful - with the exception of the conversations which took place on horseback. These looked contrived on plastic horses with actors heaving on top of the machines. I was unaware of the true life of a jockey in this time. The anger, the weight control, and the dedication to the point of horrific actions and demands on body and soul. The film was beautifully edited, with important segments left to the imagination - which is so often overdone in current movies. See it - you'll like it - in general.
Rating: 
Summary: Overhyped
Review: I'm sorry, but I just didn't get this movie. The story was not rendered in a compelling way, and left me yawning. Lots of people seem to like it, but my advice is to think twice before you bet on this long shot...
Rating:
Summary: Seabiscuit Races to History Also on Film
Review: Already one of the best horse-racing epics in film history (for a change, see "A Day At The Races" comedy by Marx Brothers), "Seabiscuit" does not break any new ground, but is a solid, flawlessly produced and at times completely enthralling movie, adapted from a successful book. The thrills come (as one might well guess) from the races the small underdog horse named Seabiscuit won in the 1930's, giving the Depression-stricken Americans something to cheer about. The movie needs a while to really get started and thus is just a little bit long, but eventually the overall craft sported by filmmakers redeems itself as truly impressive; no wonder the movie got seven Oscar nominations, although it converted none. Rock-solid male cast is of a real class -- Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Tobey Maguire and William H. Macy shining in a minor role -- while Elizabeth Banks (as Bridges' second wife Marcela Howard) gets a sound amount of coverage in a film with few female roles. The movie wisely eschews some cliches -- for example, after the jockey Red Pollard (Maguire) is forced to say good-bye to his parents as a youth we never see the mom and dad again, although this might ensure a real tear-jerking reunion. Instead, "Seabiscuit" is from the beginning to end an assured, safe and almost guaranteed entertainment for all.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent motion picture
Review: Horse lovers will enjoy this movie easily. Movie lovers should also.
It is a drama that is very magical which keeps the viewer's eyes and brain "in" this motion picture.
I didn't expect this picture to be this good. surprise, surprise!
Rating:
Summary: Seabiscuit .. an American Legend
Review: I never read the Laura Hillebrand book by the same name, but I did see the Seabiscuit movie and let me tell you - it was phenominal! I know some say it was cliche - but the story is TRUE! It's not just some Hollywood writer trying to come up with the latest feel good animal movie, it's actually true. The acting was amazing in the movie. Tobey Macguire did a great job as alcholic jockey Red Pollard, and Chris Cooper was outstanding as the horse-whisperer-like trainer Tom Smith. Jeff Bridges (who is not one of my favorite actors) did a decent job in his role as well. One of the funniest characters was William H. Macy's announcer during the races, he cracked me up! Another surprisingly good performance was real life pro jockey Gary Stevens playing Red Pollard's friend and rival, jockey George Woolf. The story is wonderful, taking place during the 1930's when the country is reeling from the Great Depression. Jeff Bridges character, Charles Howard, is a business man whose wife leaves him after their child is killed. He suffers from depression and ends up at a horse track where he meets a new girl and ends up buying the unruly Seabiscuit. He meets up with outcast horse trainer Tom Smith and the unpredictable Red Pollard and the three of them take America by storm with the amazing Seabiscuit. The film is beautifully done. The locations are gorgeous and the race scenes are phenominal. Seabiscuit is a hero and an inspiration in his own right, not only because he won races - but also because he gave hope to so many people at a time when they really needed it.
Rating:
Summary: A beautiful film in every way.
Review: The story of Seabiscuit handily contradicts F. Scott Fitzgerald's assertion that there are no second acts in American lives. Cast off as an ill-tempered loser, the great race horse not only contrived a stunning second act for himself, but also for the three men who made him a champion--owner Charles Howard, trainer Tom Smith and jockey Red Pollard. Laura Hillenbrand's best-selling book retold the story for a new generation, and Gary Ross' film adaptation of the book should now serve to etch it permanently on the American memory. Even people who are indifferent to horses will fall in love with Seabiscuit and root for his ultimate victory. Ross and cinematographer John Schwartzman create some of the most exciting racetrack scenes ever committed to film. But contributing even more to the film's overall impact are the deeply moving performances of the film's trio of stars--Jeff Bridges as Howard, Tobey Maguire as Pollard and Chris Cooper as Smith. Each is impressive individually, but each gains immeasurably from the sheer perfection of the ensemble playing. Like Tinker to Evers to Chance, they're a perfect team, acting in perfect sync with each other. (One should also put in a good word for their teammates--William H. Macy, bringing in much-needed comic relief as the racetrack broadcaster Tick-Tock McGlaughlin, and Elizabeth Banks as Howard's supportive wife Marcela.) The first 30 minutes or so of the film takes its leisurely time introducing Howard, Smith and Pollard and telling their tragic back stories; though this exposition is absolutely necessary for the film to achieve its full impact, it also may cause you to start nodding off until the moment when Smith and Howard meet. From that second, everything clicks into place, and the movie becomes a magnificent race to the finish line. You will not find a more exciting or heart-tugging film this year than "Seabiscuit."
Rating:
Summary: Oscar Worthy
Review: This tale of a down-on-his-luck horse and his down-on-his-luck jockey was one of the most moving films of 2003. I had been somewhat biased against seeing this movie due to the less than stellar marketing - namely TV spots that mostly showed Tobey Maguire in his whinier moments. Eventually, however, I decided that all the positive comments that this film had recieved warrented that I go see it. I was completely blown away. The film managed to make you completely sympathetic to Seabiscuit as a character without all the cheesy ploys a lesser director would have used to try to humanize the horse. Chris Cooper as the eccentric but brilliant trainer, Tom Smith, proves yet again his prowess as an actor, previously seen in his role in American Beauty. Jeff Bridges as Charles Howard is funny, in mourning, strong, and hurt, all at the same time. And, despite my comments earlier about the whiny moments that are featured in the television commercials, Tobey Maguire as Red Pollard is brilliant. He displays a wonderful combination of tough, yet vulnerable that would seem cliched on a lesser actor. And if it's possible for an actor to have chemistry with a horse, Maguire displayed that with the horse playing Seabiscuit in this film. The context in which the main drama of the film itself is placed is as much a part of the story as all the races that are shown. Depictions of the Great Depression, from ones made especially for this film to archival footage that is used, add greatly to the film. And the scene in which you see various households around the country listening to the race on their radios, rather than seeing most of the race istself, is one of the most memorable sequences in the film. Of course, the races manage to be completely compelling and suspenseful, despite the fact that, since this is history, you already know the outcome. This film was amazing, and if it had been produced in a year that wasn't dominated by the third installment of the Lord of the Rings, it would have been a serious contender for many Oscars.
Rating:
Summary: All That Is Good In American Cinema....
Review: Is defined in the film "Seabiscuit". Based upon the bestselling book of the same title by Laura Hillenbrand, this film distills the story of the unlikely Seabiscuit down to its essence and while like most films based on books it glosses over/leaves out certain elements, it is a triumph unto itself. Well acted *I admit frankly it changed my opinion of Tobey Maguire...who was one of the executive producers as well!!*, well scripted, beautifully filmed and with a sublime score from Randy Newman, Seabiscuit delivers on all levels. It is a refreshing reminder of the power and grace of the American cinema, of what Hollywood can do if it chooses to and that film is a form of art to be reckoned with.
| 
