Movie: Seabiscuit
Starring Jeff Bridges, Tobey Maguire, Chris Cooper
Written and Directed by Gary Ross (Universal)
Reviewed by Rusty Pipes

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Seabiscuit is much more than an excuse to film some dramatic horse racing sequences. It's a testament to peoples' ability to rise above their circumstances, rather like the Black Stallion pulling Chariots of Fire.

Director Gary Ross accomplishes this by rooting the true story of Seabiscuit in the times that it happened, America's Great Depression. Moving out of the rich color most of the movie is shot in, he uses several narrated black and white sequences and a wonderful Randy Newman score to bring home life in the 30's, which affected all three central characters directly.

One of my favorite actors, Jeff Bridges, who's played everything from an alien to a stoned hippie, to a President, is Charles Howard, the owner of Seabiscuit. He's perfect for the role and plays him in a similar way to Tucker, another brash industrialist from the same era, but with a much more human edge. Tobey Maguire proves he's a lot more than just another costumed hero as Red Pollard, Seabiscuit's oversize jockey. Maguire must've eaten like a bird much in the way that Pollard did, because he looks not an ounce over 115, and we can all believe he graduated from the school of hard knocks. Chris Cooper anchors the trio as the near mystic trainer, Tom Smith. It's a far cry from the manic Evergaldes flower hunter he played in Adaptation, but he's perfectly commanding in a strangely reserved way.

Ross has given us monumental, classic filmmaking with this film. The blockbusters of December will have a hard time catching up to Seabiscuit.

The Skinny:
Am I glad I saw the film: Absolutely
Would I go to see it again: I look forward to taking it around the track several times.

© 2003 - Rusty Pipes