Seabiscuit

United States, 2003
U.S. Release Date: 7/25/03
Running Time: 2:25
Rated: PG-13 (Mature themes, sexual situations)
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Tobey Maguire, William H. Macy, Elizabeth Banks, Gary Stevens

Director: Gary Ross
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Gary Ross, Jane Sindell
Screenplay: Gary Ross, based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand
Music: Randy Newman
Studio: Universal Pictures

Seabiscuit is a heartwarming human interest story, but it has very little action to occupy the viewer's attention. To quote an accompanying viewer, “It was just about a horse and kind of boring.” With a two hour and twenty-five minute running time, boredom can easily occur—that is, if a slow and informative picture does not appeal to you.

If Seabiscuit was not based on a true story, viewers would be displeased with the timing, arrangement, and anticlimactic ending. The film moves fast, because the makers pack a lot of happenings into a short amount of time. In addition, the picture is not well-oriented for a fidgety audience—as the beginning is more like a slow PBS documentary, rather than a drama that gradually applies character development and a plot with intensity.

Seabiscuit does a superb job with its depiction of The Great Depression, the correlation between horse/jockey/owner hitting rock bottom just as the stock market, and its showing of Seabiscuit's winning spirit reflecting in the American people. However, factually this film is slightly inaccurate; it incorrectly depicts or even omits (in some cases), several of the horse’s historical happenings.

For example, the film shows Seabiscuit easily race to the lead in the final furlong of the last race from about twenty lengths off the pace— when in reality he advanced from second place to win, not from dead last. Nevertheless, in Hollywood, certain aspects must be dramatized for effect— leaving the audience better able to grasp the Rocky-esque work-hard-for-the-comeback feeling that is so inevitably desired in almost all sports films these days.

Furthermore, the keen eye can observe slight differences in Seabiscuit, for it isn’t one horse playing the racing legend, but, in fact, ten different horses—some having distinct coloration and size differences. But again, multiple animal actors are just another "necessary evil." In addition, the closing sequence is borderline irksome. It just ends without filling everyone in on any of the team member’s lives, including the horse.

By ending the film where the movie splendidly shows the triumph and success of the heavy underdogs in a very inspirational way, the filmmakers played it safe. If they would have continued on with the characters’ life stories, the movie would take a negative turn, which would obviously not fit the film ’s uplifting Americana goals.

If you are unaware of the factual story that takes place after the credits role, here goes...

After all of the success depicted in the film, the jockey, Red Pollard (played by Tobey Maguire), went on to retire and never ride again resorting to a life of being both a valet-parking attendant and a boot cleaner, up until his death at the age of 71. And as for Seabiscuit, after fading out of the racing business altogether, he died premature at the age of 14 (horses normally live well into their twenties and sometimes into their thirties).

Moreover, the director tries to burn the fact into every viewer’s mind that there are parallels between Pollard and Seabiscuit, and he establishes the link between the two to the point of overkill. For instance, Ross pans from jockey to horse, jockey to horse, jockey to horse, and jockey to horse, on two separate occasions to blatantly stress this fact. One, while Seabiscuit and Red are becoming fiery and fighting everyone around them, and the other when they both possess striking cast similarities. Ross could have been more subtle here instead of going back and forth and back and forth making sure that even the incompetent can connect the horse and man. After a frame or two, everyone “gets” the point.

Superb acting from Jeff Bridges (in a strikingly similar role he played in Tucker) as Charles Howard and the always amazing Chris Cooper as Tom Smith, keep this film alive all the way through the final turn. In addition, Tobey Maguire as Red Pollard (the unexpected jockey choice) and William H. Macy as Tick-Tock McGlaughlin (who practically steals every scene he is in) provide for a duo of excellent portrayals. In addition, it is a pleasant surprise to find performances from real-life members of the current horse-racing community in Gary Stevens, Chris McCarron, and Frank Mirahinadi the caller voice of Louisana Downs.

In truth, there are three conditions to see Seabiscuit. One: if you are an avid horse-racing fan who sees all of the Triple Crown races (The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, and The Belmont); Two: if you are interested in well-told human-interest stories; And three: if you are unfamiliar with the racing world; this in-depth horse-racing movie will open your eyes to a somewhat dwindling sport.

Upon exiting the theater after viewing Seabiscuit, some were teary-eyed and others wept with intense emotion. Seabiscuit is one of those motion-pictures that grab you by the heart; likewise, it shows you how a horse with gumption helped guide America through troubling times and put it back on its feet. While Seabiscuit is nowhere near being one of 2003's best pictures, it isn't altogether worthy of a whipping either.

© Copyright Brandon Valentine 2004