Rating: 
Summary: An inspirational story, well-told
Review: This movie has been extensively reviewed but I just wanted to cast my five-star vote. The movie is a bit like Seabiscuit -- it starts a bit slow but when it gets rolling it's a dominant winner, and well worth a bet. The slow start even adds to the appeal. The story is well-told without being sentimental, the photography is superb, and the characterization is about as good as you can find on the circuit these days. Both times I've seen it the audience clapped at the end --once they did during the race scene -- a rare event!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent and reasonably accurate filming of a great book
Review: The greatest problem for the movie SEABISCUIT is the book SEABISCUIT, and given the latter's enormous success as a bestseller, I am rather surprised that they filmmakers didn't try to hew more closely to the book. Granted, given the need to compress the much larger content of the book into the less information-friendly film, things had to be cut out and compressed. What I found especially disturbing were a couple of major plot details that did nothing to add to the movie otherwise, but in fact were profoundly untrue. The first of these that bothered me was Red Pollard's confessing to Smith and Howard that he was blind in his right eye, a secret he in fact kept throughout his career as a jockey. Also, Pollard suffered twice from serious injuries, but because of runtime for a film of this sort, they had to compress the injuries into one, the second one that primarily involved his shattered leg. Again, many liberties were taken here: he did not shatter his leg only two weeks before the match race at Pimplico, but sometimes earlier. And by cutting out Pollard's injury, we are left with the false impression that it was the match race where Woolf rode Seabiscuit as well.See, this is the plight of the person who reads the book shortly before seeing the movie (I read the book on Wednesday and head to the Chicago suburbs to see the movie on Friday): you end up knowing too much. I'm not disturbed by what they leave out, but I am bothered by what they put in and alter. ... The movie made some unfortunate though perhaps unavoidable changes with Seabiscuit himself. He was much shorter than the horses he raised, though stockier and short legs. The horses used to portray Seabiscuit weren't especially notable for their lack of size. More importantly, none of the horses playing Seabiscuit were able to lock their legs, which Seabiscuit was famously unable to do. This meant that Seabiscuit, unique among horses, could never sleep standing up, but only lying down. The inability to lock his legs led to a life-long rumor that he was either crippled or lame. But no mention to his truly awful legs was made throughout the film, I suspect because they weren't able to find a horse whose legs didn't lock. Overall, I think the film was very well cast. Jeff Bridges, who has one of he most dramatically underappreciated careers in Hollywood, is superb as Charles S. Howard, automobile magnate turned horse entrepreneur. Chris Cooper excels as Tom Smith, taking on an ashen and aged appearance that is perfect for the film (he looks so different from his Oscar winning role in ADAPTATION that it is hard to accept he is the same actor). I'm not sure Toby Maguire was the right choice to play Pollard. He wasn't the right size physically, but far more badly he is devoid of the famous demeanor of Red Pollard, who had a perpetually mournful expression on his face, causing many to compare him to Buster Keaton. All in all, the movie ends up being more than the summation of its parts. The movie does possess a great period feel, and if an enormous amount of the detail about the setting up of the match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral was left out, they do a great job of reenacting that race (which according to multiple sources I consulted after reading the book truly is regarded as the greatest horse race of all time). But any reader of the book, to be able to enjoy this movie at all, it going to have to make a pack with oneself to not get hung up on the movies errors. I was partially able to do this, and was more or less about to enjoy the film. I do recommend the movie, but I definitely recommend the book considerably more. The movie is OK, but the book is great.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Perfect
Review: I love this film (and the book that inspired it). It's a great true-life story which explains why reality is so much more inspiring and fulfilling than fiction. I disagree with the amazon reviewer who didn't care for the narration style and nostalgic glimpses into the time period via film footage and photographs. To me, it made the experience more evocative, as you get a definite sense of place, which is so often missing when today's filmgoers have little knowledge of history and just how important some things can be given a certain place, time, attitude. The documentary style inserts work beautifully. The only mistake the filmmakers' made, I think, are in not showing actual film footage of Seabiscuit's races, and other film on the horse, say during the closing credits. Instead one has to look at actual documentaries.
Rating:
Summary: See This Movie
Review: This is a delightful movie from beginning to end. The ensemble cast works well-- so often multi-star pictures flop, because all of them are out there trying to play their own schticks. Here, the ensemble co-ordinates like the petals on a blooming flower. Another reason this film succeeds is that the pacing is flawless. Every moment comes at exactly its time, and none is too strong or too weak. I don't suppose there's much point in recounting the plot: it's the story of the racehorse, Seabiscuit, and the people who made him a champion. That's all. It's a simple story, but the simpler the result, usually the greater the mechanism for bringing it forth. I'm sure that's the case here. The animal trainers must have spent many hours teaching the horses to act their parts. The cinematographers, too, must have dedicated pieces of their lives to have every shot perfect. See this movie. You won't be sorry. Really, that's all that needs to be said.
Rating:
Summary: It's the true stories that will get to you, every time.
Review: Just a tremendous movie! A true story that is moving, so uplifting... I spent most of the movie with a lump in my throat and a swell in my breast. The entire audience stood and CHEERED as this was playing. When was the last time you saw a movie that motivated the audience to cheer??? Exactly. Tremendous job by Toby McGuire. Chris Cooper is outstanding--even more so than usual. Jeff bridges delivers. Just an unbelievable ride. Heart wrenching at times. So inspiring at others, you think you will burst.
Rating:
Summary: Great family movie!
Review: Based off one of the best books I have ever read (Hildebrand), this movie did a great job of not letting the book down. I still like the book better, but the movie had a lot of things going for it. All the three main actors deserve some Oscar recognition, they were excellent. The race screens and stories of Seabiscuit were very exciting and well directed. The radio DJ added some nice humor to the movie. A feel good/inspirational movie and must have for all DV collections.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Movies of 2003
Review: My wife and I liked this movie so much we went back to see it again and we purchased the PBS documentary. There is a lot that this movie doesn't tell. My wife read the book and we learned more from the documentary. Howard had 4 children. His second wife was the sister-in-law of one of his sons. Howard donated vehicles to be used for ambulences during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. There is a lot more to this story than could fit into a film. Red Pollard's accident was the 2nd major accident he had in recent years. His first almost killed him the year before. Following the accident before the big match race between Sea Biscuit and War Admiral, the race was cancelled and rescheduled the following year. Barring changes in the timeline and missing information, this is still a great movie. Some of the reviews weren't as kind. But then again, everyone can't like a movie, that is why there are so many bad ones made today that make big money and are forgotten in short order. Most films made today are made to appeal to either chilren and families, or teens and young adults who crave action and fast paced movies. The remaining gems are cast upon the water and once in awhile they find they way to adults who appreciate them for what they are. An adult movie with a good story and flawed characters. These films are the ones to cherish. Field of Dreams, October Sky, and now Seabiscuit. After all, when the other films are long since forgotten, this film will be a classic. This is an intelligent film. Twice in the movie theatre people in our audiance applauded. Once after the big race and again at the end of the movie. How often does that happen? And yes, there were even some young teens there that enjoyed the film. P.S. The narration is one of the best parts of this movie. It gives a perspective to the period and ourselves at a different time.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Horse Movie to Date
Review: Seabiscuit was an excellent movie! I had read the book a few weeks before hand, since I had just started getting back into horse racing, and loved it. In the movie, I thought the actors did a fantastic job and the directing was excellent. Sure, they made things short sometimes and they didn't include some things from the book, but atleast there was a movie, right? Now, I know most people think the movie is too slow. Well, how is there supposed to be a story when you don't have an introduction? Yeah, you really didn't get to see Seabiscuit until about an hour into the film, but who cares? There wouldn't even be a movie or book about Seabiscuit if it wasn't for what happened to Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), and Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire). And, that's what I like so much about the movie. But, once the movie started getting into the racing scenes, that's when it really got great. I thought the racing scenes were done well. It felt really cool to be sitting in the movie theater like that. It felt like I was actually at the racetrack (which I haven't done yet). And, the music, I thought, was great for not only the racing scenes, but for the rest of the movie. I'm a country/bluegrass music fan, so there's some pieces in the movie (such as Call Me Red) that I enjoyed a lot. I'm also a fan of orchestrated music, so basically all the songs appealed to me. Overall, though, I have to say my two favorites are Pumpkin (which the horse was gorgeous in the movie) and The Derby (which is played when Red loses the race by a nose). And, I know this isn't a CD review, but it did add to the movie. So, this was my review. Seabiscuit rules!
Rating:
Summary: seabiscuit
Review: One of the best movies I've seen in a long time.. I think people fail to see what this movie is realy about..If you don't have a tear in your eye when George wolf and the biscuit break away from the admiral in the final stretch of the match race, than I think your realy missing the moment.. And you should be in full cry mode when Red Pollard breaks through the pack to win the Santa Anita Handicap.. Sure they could have talked more about events in the book,like Charles Howards other son, he's not mentioned once, or his friendship whith Bing Crosby, and how the biscuit had a rival with his horse. And lets not forget the Awsome performance by the Great Jockey Gary Stevens as the Ice Man himself George Wolf.. I think Gary was the perfect part for George and would have liked to see more of him.. His riding for the finish line in the match race was poetry in motion.. But all in all this movie is summed up in the end when they say this is about a horse that changed the lives of three men when in actuality it changed a country. It gave people light at the end of a dark tunnel, and showed with the right love and the Heart to do your best you can overcome anything. At least thats what I got out of it...
Rating:
Summary: surprising
Review: i didn't exoect to like this movie. when i walked out my mind was completely changed. this movie was a fine fim about a horse and the three lives it changed. it's truly a wonderful experience. the critics were right. all hail this movie.
|
