Adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's factual book about Seabiscuit the racehorse, a small and incorrigible animal in the 1940s overcoming all expectations once he hits the racetrack. Tobey Maguire is the horse's hot-tempered jockey, Jeff Bridges plays the roguish owner, Chris Cooper is the wily trainer. The acting is above-average, John Schwartzman's cinematography and the film's technical aspects are very high, yet this hackneyed script by Gary Ross, who also directed, becomes a hurdle for all concerned. Ross goes for a burnished, gleaming-copper look and feel, yet he can't seem to sidestep the timeworn clichés and annoying plot devices, depressingly in place right from the start. Ross also needed a more judicious editor as the film feels very long at 140mns. "Seabiscuit" is likely more "Hollywood" than a factual account. It has been smothered with good taste but has little personality. ** from ****
Review of Seabiscuit
