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Summary: The Ultimate Feel-Good Movie And A Real Winner!
Review: Three men and a horse, all born with incredible talent and Heart, (with a capital "H"), and all hit by life's hard knocks, prove that indomitable spirit can overcome crippling odds. Real winners may just be losers in disguise, looking for the opportunity to overcome adversity and show their true colors.This actual story of the race horse Seabiscuit and his owner, trainer, and jockey is set against the background of the Great Depression. It is the ultimate feel-good movie. Film writer-director Gary Ross effectively portrays how the actual Seabiscuit and his saga had a galvanizing effect on America's "everyman," hit hard by hard times, as the down-and-out racehorse became the hopeful parable for their lives. Many of the film's scenes are juxtaposed with black and white still shots taken during the depression era, beautifully illustrating the period, and the tone of the characters. The use of a narrator also lends an air of documentary authenticity to many of the newsreel-like sequences. The cast is excellent. Toby Maguire shines, as usual, in his role as the bruised but not beaten jockey "Red" Pollard. Tom Smith is wonderful as Seabiscuit's enigmatic horse trainer. Mr. Smith's lines may be few but he lends an extraordinary presence to the role and the movie. Wealthy and successful businessman Charles Howard, played by Jeff Bridges, is a man with vision who pulled himself up by his bootstraps only to be thrown by personal tragedy. He bought a loosing horse on the word of a down-and-out trainer and hired a half blind jockey to race him. These characters become inextricably bound as, together, they undergo the journey of a lifetime. William H. Macy, as the fast talkin' radio tipster, and his blonde female sidekick, are show stealers. Seabiscuit somehow manages to avoid lapses into corniness, and against all odds, an equestrian film about an undersized, bad-tempered horse goes for the money and competes successfully with some of the years best films. Highly recommended! JANA
Rating: 
Summary: A Serious Movie That Inspires
Review: This movie takes place during the depression, in fact the first hour is just that, depressing. That is the wonder of the movie though. You go from a feeling of complete and utter loss and hopelessness to one of triumph and hope. Maguire does performs well as Seabiscuits Jockey, he is also one of the films producers. The movie starts off slowly at first, with a before and after effect of the great depression, throwing people lives into chaos and dispair so very quickly. Harris, played by Bridges, does not lose so much his wealth, yet other tragedy strikes him.
From the start he appears as a can-do person, who sees the opportunities in everything and feels he can help others make it as well. That is the story of the movie opportunity and second chances. Seabiscuit is a wonderful movie for a message of hope. You feel like a winner. Is it too late to take a chance to do great things in life? There is a second chance. Look for the wonderful irony of the movie as well. There are so many scenes where you can see it. The movie will take you to Mexico, Santa Barbara, Saratoga Springs, NY and Santa Anita. This movie is true to life if you know anything about Santa Anita Race Track. The only thing that may challenge some is the language. Did people in those circles really talk that way then? I really wonder, this movie can be for the whole family, but too many places Maguire feels he has to use some form of profanity. Some families therefore should see if there is a more family friendly version for the kids.
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Summary: This movie was a pile of horse...
Review: This was one of the worst movies that I have ever had to suffer through. All of the performances were over done, (with the exception of Chris Cooper, who is always top notch) and the entire movie was cheesier than consession stand nachos. I am completely confused at all of the accolades that this movie has received. The true story had much more depth; they barely touched on the horse trainers alcohol problem, nor the battle with eating disorders/substance abuse that Tobey Maguire's character went through. The glossed-over finished product struggled so hard to be "heart-warming" in every scene that the potentially touching story lost all validity. Basically, it sucked.
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Summary: Total false advertising
Review: There wasn't a sea or a biscuit anywhere in this movie!
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Summary: Not your usual horse story
Review: Although I like horses, and have been to a few local horse races, neither are subjects I'm particularly exited about. As a voracious reader, the book held little or no interest to me. But my husband saw the movie when he was out of town, loved it and highly recommended it. I first bought the book and had barely started it - but was enjoying it - when the opportunity came for me to buy the DVD. We are in our mid 50s and are not ones to watch TV late at night. We are also not huge movie-goers or renters. We put this in at midnight and I was completely enthralled from the beginning. Not only that but afterwards we were wanted to know more and watched several of the bonus features, finally giving up and going to bed at 3:00 AM. This was such an enjoyable movie - one about second chances not only for a broken horse but for three broken men. I highly recommend this movie especially for those who are tired of the sex and violence which sweem to run rampant in many films today. I am now off to finish reading the book.
Rating:
Summary: 4-Legged Excitement!
Review: I'm not big on horse movies. I'm not big on it's-obvious-the-guy-will-win-the-race kinds of movies. I'm not thrilled with Tobey Maguire (although Spider-Man was the best superhero movie, overall, ever made in spite of him and in some SMALL way because of him). This won me over anyway. It's a feel-good story. You'll read all kinds of other things and reviews about it, but it's a fell-good story in the end and it does that adequately... no very well.
Rating:
Summary: A Winner
Review: "Seabiscuit" is a movie that could be so easy to dismiss as one of those schmaltzy weepies about triumph over adversity that ultimately operates on being both over-emotional and manipulative. Make no mistake "Seabiscuit" does deal with emotional events. But, as written and directed by Gary Ross, it does it with a taste and a depth that allow the film finally to reach the level of complexity we tend to expect of novels rather than movies. "Seabiscuit" is about one underdog race-horse, three men wounded in different ways, and a nation in a period with little hope. I realise that that sentence makes it sound awful, and even sounds like an advertising blurb in itself, but trust me, it's not awful. The men are jockey Johnny "Red" Pollard (Tobey Maguire) given up for adoption by his parents during the Depression, working as a jockey and prize fighter to make a living and blinded in one eye; Charles Howard (played by Jeff Bridges), a millionaire car dealer who has lost his son and his wife; and Tom Smith (the usually terrific Chris Cooper), a cowboy who is trying to come to terms with the end of the freedom of the old West. Their lives are all galvanised by their relationship with Seabiscuit, a short and knock-kneed horse that had been rejected as unsuitable for racing, beaten up, and - almost - had its spirit broken. The millionaire buys "Seabiscuit" the ex-cowboy trains him, the ex -prize-fighter rides him. As if Red Pollard's blindness in one eye wasn't enough he even - at one point - suffers multiple breaks in one leg that may mean he can't walk again, let alone ride. Seabiscuit too suffers an injury that may mean he will never race again. And yet both do get past these obstacles. Partly because of their struggle to overcome their wounds and backgrounds - the whole team become heroes for a nation that needs to see an underdog win. It's one strength of the film that it doesn't suggest this is just an accident. Owner Charles Howard certainly seems to know the value of public relations, and does deliberately cast his horse and his team in the light that he knows the public will value. Director and writer Gary Ross formerly wrote and directed "Pleasantville" and also wrote "Dave", and "Big". All of those films struck me as interesting, and I'd say that most of them are complex and insightful. In "Seabiscuit" he manages to give considerable depth to the stories of all these men. He also intercuts them with historical documentary sequences, which emphasises the social and sociological background against which events were taking place. These people's lives are intimately connected with the historical sweep of events, and making those connections clear adds a lot of depth and resonance to the story. The script is based on Laura Hillenbrand's non-fiction book of the same name. Apart from the actors in the main roles, William H. Macy as radio sports commentator "Tick-Tock" McGlaughlin also gives a wildly funny performance, turning a minor character into a highly memorable one. John Schwartzman's cinematography is lush and romantic, well suited to the story. In case you're worried that this is basically going to be Lassie with horses, one of the most effective things about it is Gary Ross's restraint. The scenes that could have been mawkish are underplayed and handled with considerable tact. Interestingly, one of the "rules" most commonly explained to screenwriters is that you shouldn't write dialogue that's too "on the nose". The funny thing about "Seabiscuit" is that practically the last line of the movie is VERY on the nose, very blatant, and yet it seems to tie the whole thing together perfectly.
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Summary: Seabiscuit Rides Into The Winner's Circle
Review: Seabiscuit was one of the greatest horses in horse racing history. His racing captivated America during the Great Depression, giving them an underdog they could identify with and root for. Gary Ross' adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's bestseller does an excellent job of capturing the Americana set forth in the book. The problem is that it is impossible to get into the details of Seabiscuit himself, the protagonists and the life surrounding the horse racing industry like the book in a 2 and 20-minute movie. One is probably better off at seeing the movie first and then reading the book then the other way around, as there are big gaps between what happened in the book and what is shown on the screen. That being said, Seabiscuit is still immensely entertaining. The race scenes are exhilarating and they take you right on the horse's back. The acting is also superb. Tobey Maguire continues his rise as one the best young actors in movies. Mr. Maguire has a strong likeability and one can't help but rooting for his character, jockey Red Pollard, to overcome his devastating injury. Jeff Bridges is the master of the understated performance and gives yet another excellent turn as auto magnet Charles Howard. William H. Macy is hilarious as he provides comic relief as the track reporter and announcer Tick Tock McGlaughlin. While Chris Cooper is fine as trainer Tom Smith, but where as his character was a major player in the book, he seems regulated to a secondary role in the film. Elizabeth Banks is luminous as Howard's second wife, Marcella, but she too suffers the fate of Mr. Cooper. Two of the strongest performances are from off-screen. David McCullough's narration adds depth and gravitas and Randy Newman's score is wistful and inspiring and continues to mark him as the best movie score composer. Seabiscuit is the perfect family film that will appeal to all ages.
Rating:
Summary: loved it, actors were good
Review: i love horses and the excitement of a great horse race, and this movie was pretty good at making me move to the edge of my seat. some of the romance scenes were goofy, and jeff bridges character annoyed me at times, but all in all this is a great movie.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Cinematic Interpretation
Review: Verbatim from book to film is rarely a smooth or desireable result, and I'm glad the director didn't go that way in his approach. I thought the film was beautiful in its cinematography. That's crucial, because it carries the weight of what dialogue or narrative cannot be put in. I also found that although the horse was the central character, the people around him were much a part of Seabscuit's persona in the movie. He was as beat up as the people living through the Depression. He personified their indomitable spirit and the fire in their eyes and their souls that would not accept defeat. I think this is the kind of movie that you have to watch more than once, because you'll realize many things, but dwell on just one for that one viewing. The next viewing, you come back to that other realization, and so on. That's why there are certain movies we like to watch multiple times. And when there is that movie you want to watch more than once, it's worth getting on DVD. This is one of them.
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