User Reviews

After the American Depression, the millionaire Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) gets married again with Marcela (Elizabeth Banks) and decides to invest in a race horse. He gathers the old couch Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), the problematic jockey Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) and the horse Seabiscuit, all of them losers, and he believes on them, giving a second chance to them. Seabiscuit becomes a winner and legend in a difficult period of the American life. "Seabiscuit" is a beautiful film with positive and wonderful messages. Charles Howard has the best lines, such as: "When the little guy doesn't know that he is little, he is capable of big things"; or, "Sometimes all somebody needs is a second chance". The excellent and underrated actor Chris Cooper has probably his best performance along his career. Although having 141 minutes running time, the viewer does not feel time passing. I particularly liked not only the direction, performances, locations and reconstitution of a period, but mainly the never corny and very positive messages in the excellent lines and screenplay. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Seabiscuit – Alma de Herói" ("Seabiscuit – Soul of Hero")

I have not read the book or anything about the story this movie was based on - I might have to now since I enjoyed the movie so much. The point of my writing this is to say: if you haven't read the book, you will probably like this movie. I'm sure the book portrayed so much more, but I don't think you can directly compare movies and books. In most cases, I have never loved a movie as much as a book - but that doesn't mean the movie should be disregarded. In some cases emotion can be better portrayed on film. (please note that all my "quotes" are paraphrased from what i remember and only set aside in " " to distinguish it from my writing).

That said, I completely disagree with the first reviewer above who did read the book first. I really DID get the message about what Seabiscuit represented at that time: a second chance, rising above expectations against all odds, and most of all - HOPE. When I told someone I just saw Seabiscuit, they said, "oh, that's about the horse, right?" and I said, "no, it's really a story of hope and rising above tough circumstances - but there is a horse in it." I was surprised at how much history and how many images of the depression were gracefully woven into Seabiscuit. I thought it worked very well and added to the realism of the film.

I also definitely understood that Red Pollard's family was wealthy, and that they lost everything in the depression. It's pretty obvious - the whole family is shown around a great big dinner table in a very nice house; his father even buys him his own horse. Next time you see them, they are basically living out of their car with a whole bunch of other folks doing the same - a kind of depression era makeshift camp.

It's also made clear later on in the movie that he never saw his family again - there are auditory flashbacks to his parents saying they will call him; how he almost dumps all his books into the water; the fact that next time we see him he's a young man and there's no mention of his family ever again in the movie. Seems like they just disappeared - and they did. Red also displays anger and frustration that is noticed by other characters. To me, this points to a sense of abandonment by his family.

Also unlike the other reviewer, I DID care a lot about the race with War Admiral - in fact, i almost had to just skip to the end first because I was so nervous about it! This was NOT just a story of profit. In fact, it never seemed like that was Howard's goal at all - his goal was to prove that the underdog can and will win - to prove that heart and spirit mattered as much as (or even more than) wealth and breeding. That seemed to be the point of the match race with War Admiral.

This is a story of rising above profit to reach an even greater goal. It's an uplifting story, as you can see in the crowd's faces as Howard tells them, "just because he's beaten down by a nose, doesn't mean he's out." and "When the little guy doesn't know he's the little guy, he can do great big things." You can picture the men and women, unemployed and hungry, telling themselves these same words. Things will get better; we may be down, but we're not out. In the words of Tom Smith, "You can't throw a whole life away, just because it's banged up a bit." Red's words at the end are touching as well, "seabiscuit fixed us, and in a sense we fixed each other.'" Red overcame his anger, his fear, his sense of hopelessness. So did Seabiscuit. And if they can, so can you.

Based on the best-selling novel Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand, Gary Ross directed 'Seabiscuit' is a film with a Spirit! It's a courageous true-story, that also makes a moving film. The Direction, The Cinematography, The Performances, all pitch in nicely.

'Seabiscuit' tells the story of Three men, who, come together, respectively, as the principal jockey, owner, and trainer of the championship horse Seabiscuit, rising from troubled times to achieve fame and success through their association with the horse.

Gary Ross's Adapted Screenplay, manages to make a worthy true-story into a worthy film. The characters, The Horse itself, are wonderfully explained. However, the film definitely could've been trimmed, by at least 10-15 minutes. Ross's direction deserves brownie points, as well. John Schwartzman's Cinematography is gorgeous. Editing is good. Art-Design seems perfect.

Performance-Wise: Tobey Maguire is dependable. Jeff Bridges is natural & restrained throughout, while Chris Cooper is simply fantastic. Elizabeth Banks is passable. Gary Stevens & William H. Macy are fair.

On the whole, 'Seabiscuit' comes up a winner in it's intentions. Go, get moved!

Roger Ebert says he has a theory that `people more readily cry at movies not because of sadness, but because of goodness and courage.'

This is certainly a reason why Gary Ross's Seabiscuit tugs so effectively at the heartstrings. But the main one is the way the movie shows the triumph of the underdog spread fourfold among three men and a horse. And again the timing is right in the American release. Just as Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later was delightful because it was a low budget movie that could compete with a lot of loud and dubious blockbusters, Seabiscuit earns our gratitude by being a blockbuster without explosions or exhibitionism, an epic of restraint, modesty and -- yes -- `goodness and courage.' The loudest sound you hear is the starting bell for the races. There are those of us, mainstream folk, who've been starving for such fare. I saw people in the audience in the early matinee who plainly were alive in 1929 and 1938, and they wept and applauded throughout with awe and gratitude. We shall see how the younger generations respond.

An enthusiastic response is justified. There is nothing in Seabiscuit that's very original; it awakens involuntary flashbacks to many traditional Rocky-esque sports biopics as one watches. But Gray and his chief collaborators, the talented author Lauren Hillenbrand and the splendid cast headed by Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and co-producer Tobey McGuire, have nonetheless provided us with a quite wonderful movie, as much for its surefire writing and brilliant editing as for any of the acting.

Everyone must agree that the three men behind the most famous horse of his time are played by three of the best actors Hollywood now has to offer. Critics are in accord in saying Cooper's performance is the subtlest and the most real: he models the principle that Less is More. Tobey McGuire isn't given quite enough to do; his greatest accomplishment may be his lean look; he's barely recognizable, and as a former redhead myself I don't think the dye job is as bad as some have claimed. Bridges is, in his way, magnificent, but glossily iconic and therefore somewhat opaque. His resemblance to Franklin D. Roosevelt is pushed a bit too hard, as is the whole uplifting populist message - the `we didn't fix the horse. He fixed us - and we fixed each other,' and `sometimes all somebody needs is a second chance,' stuff. (It's pretty corny. But within the context of this beautifully made movie that believes in itself, we buy it.)

It's important, anyway - if young people do come to see Seabiscuit - for them to get the simplified, but nonetheless just portrait of the times provided with authentic stills and footage, and the voiceover narration by iconic historian David ("The Civil War") McCullough. The travelogue of the Depression and Prohibition years includes a quiet but heartfelt plug for FDR and that, too, is moving, especially in today's post-Yuppie mood of numbingly exploitive jingoism.

Indeed each of the three actors gives a powerfully understated performance - they're like thoroughbreds who're never given their head - whose litotes (a word schoolboys learned back then) enhances the movie's epic quality by never letting us forget that their triumphs were snatched from deprivation and adversity.

The long time devoted to the three men's backgrounds early in the movie isn't ill spent. It establishes the leisurely pace that is the essence of epic. But these back-stories aren't as necessary as the filmmakers may have thought. And despite the slow movement, there isn't deep detail. There's barely one scene to establish Red Pollard's (McGuire's) literate, close-knit family before he's cast (heartbreakingly) out of it. Charles Howard's (Bridge's) loss of his son is too telegraphic, though it's a fine touch to show him wailing with the boy's body but with his voice barely audible: it's one more example of the movie's sense of the period and of its restraint.

Right from the first the horse races are astonishing in the camera's closeness and vividness, the way we feel the danger and physicality of the jockeys' brutal competition with one another. Since we know Pollard is a failed prizefighter and general scrapper, we take in stride that fact that he's physically fighting with other jockeys during the early races. This is a movie about horse racing and the races had better be terrific, and they are. It's when we see the power of those sequences that we realize Seabiscuit has the makings of a popular classic.

Jeff Bridges' performance in particular seems etched in stone. There are touches of Jimmy Stewart, Joseph Cotton, even Orson Welles in his role and his looks. The chameleon Bridges comes carrying traces of Coppola's Tucker, but he has entered into the period and the tradition with utter conviction. Cooper's austere minimalism, because it is the essential spirit of the movie, its understatement (litotes), is the central performance. He is a man who communicates better with horses than with men. McGuire's performance is the noisiest, but he too reflects the social restraints of the period, and his wings are clipped before the final triumph can take place. This was a time when people had superiors and recognized it by calling them Sir and Mister. Everyone male wore a suit and tie, even jockeys off duty.

Seabiscuit's ability to tug at the heartstrings first appears when Red Pollard is let go by his destitute father so he can be a jockey. The moment is deeply sad because what seems an act of heroic renunciation by a loving parent is in fact abandonment, and it feeds the young man's rage thenceforth. And it's more complex than that because it grows out of the enormous pressures of the Depression, a time when millions in America wandered westward deprived of everything but their cars and a few possessions.

Not only Bridges' performance but whole sequences of Seabiscuit seem etched in stone and contain examples of textbook-perfect editing that possesses sweep and complexity and advances the story while keeping our focus on the prevailing mood.

This is, of course, the classic American story of triumph out of defeat and resolution out of conflict. As is a little too clearly pointed out, all three men, Charles Howard, Tom Smith, and Red Pollard, have had great devastation and loss in their lives (echoed by the whole country's economic devastation, failure, and loss of nerve; and it's implied -- with some failure of restraint -- that Seabiscuit's underdog triumphs were as needed as the New Deal). Their horse was rescued by Smith (Chris Cooper) when it was going to be shot because it seemed unruly and untrainable. Out of all this failure and tragedy the men forge their victories: Seabiscuit, the horse that lacked breeding, was untrainable, and was `too small'; Pollard, abandoned by his parents, beaten in many prize fights, secretly blind in one eye and `too big' to be a top jockey; Smith, a gifted horse tamer and trainer reduced to riding the rails and hoboing; Bridges, the self-made millionaire devastated by the destruction of all his hopes in a ruined economy and the sudden death of his young only son. They bond together to make Seabiscuit into one of the greatest racehorses in history. Who wouldn't be moved by this? Only the conventional fat man who's War Admiral's snobbish Maryland owner. It's all about heart, and Seabiscuit's got it.

William H. Macy's caricatured portrait of an alcoholic radio announcer is a highlight, in the sense of a bright spot on a painting. It's a shrill and brittle performace that we tolerate because of the moments of relief Macy's little comic vignettes provide. Subtlety is sacrificed to provide an effect, and to brush in a bit of humor amid all the earnestness. One only wishes there were more of a progression; that the character didn't sip from the same bottle in every scene but got drunker, or soberer, as things went along.

We have to allow for the exigencies of filmmaking that required ten horses to be used for Seabiscuit, leading to the irony that this unique horse is a composite.

If you accept its conventionality, Seabiscuit is not just a good movie but a great one.

The film is set in the 30s , economical crisis time , the 29 crack and the ¨Great Depression¨ . A lot of people have got starvation and distresses , although with President Franklyn D. Roosevelt and his ¨New Deal¨ America will retrieve its splendor . This is a story of rich and pauper people . It's a fable of hits and flops . The movie centers on a horse and a good rider (Toby McGuire) , the trainer (Chris Cooper) , the owner (Jeff Bridges) and his wife(Elizabeth Banks) and a journalist (Willian H. Macy). The movie is based on real events and there are various flashbacks developing the historical deeds .

In the motion picture there are humans emotions , drama , tearjerker and several horse races . Runtime film is overlong , two hours and some and though the picture is slow-moving , isn't boring , neither tiring . The final duel between two contender horses is overwhelming and exciting . War Admiral was played by one of his descendants, a gelding named Verboom . While the movie describes War Admiral as being a huge horse close to eighteen hands tall, the real-life War Admiral was well known for being one of the smallest sons of Man o' War . War Admiral was actually the same size as Seabiscuit , which was approximately fifteen hands tall . The flick is apt for everybody , because there isn't violence , nor murders , but agreeable feelings . The movie had nomination various Oscars but didn't get Academy Awards and attained a moderated success , though didn't failed at box office . Interpretation by Toby McGuire is cool , Chris Cooper is excellent, as always , and Jeff Bridges is nice . Randy Newman musical score is riveting , likeness to Jason Swartzman cinematography that is fascinating , too . THe picture was well directed by Gary Ross . Rating : 7,5/10 . Very Good , well worth watching . Better tan average .

It's fitting that a film about underdogs giving it all they've got has been released among the standard summer action fare. No other movie this summer has capitalized upon the David vs. Goliath theme so thoroughly and effectively as `Seabiscuit' has.

The story of `Seabiscuit' is actually the tale of four long shots: Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), a wealthy self-made man and natural salesmen who's suffered both personal and financial loss through the Depression, Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), an aging horse trainer unsure of his place in the world with the ending of the frontier, Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire), a short-tempered jockey with various handicaps against him, and Seabiscuit, an undersized mustang whose been mistreated his whole life.

It's the Depression, and times are hard on everyone. The assembly line philosophy of business is starting to squelch independent spirit and people are looking for anything to help escape the dreary day-to-day of life. During this maelstrom of hopelessness, horse racing quickly gathers favoritism among those wishing to witness a spectacle in otherwise bleak times. It's under these circumstances that the film's four main parties come together. Howard, seeking a new business venture in horse racing, hires Smith as his horse trainer and Pollard as his jockey, and upon Smith's insistence, purchases the ill-tempered Seabiscuit.

It's not long before Seabiscuit becomes the `little horse who could,' gaining favor among the sporting fans on the West Coast. But despite the popularity the mustang and his team gains, they are seen as just a cheap novelty by the East Coast horse racing elite, led by Samuel Riddle, owner of the 1937 Triple Crown Winner War Admiral. This mushrooms into a media circus as Howard tries to gain public favor in order to force Riddle to put his money where his mouth is.

The story should have felt cliched and by-the-numbers, but a funny thing happened: the film makers took a nearly forgotten moment in time and managed to invest it with immediacy and suspense. The near mythic meeting of Seabiscuit and War Admiral on November 1, 1938 at Pimlico is an extension of the movie's overall theme; Seabiscuit, the representative of underdog hopes and pioneering dreams, and War Admiral, the recipient of champion breeding and training, a product of assembly line thinking.

Bridges and Maguire give spirited performances, with their characters forming a father and son bond that both men desperately needed. Cooper, who won this year's Best Supporter Actor Oscar, can give this kind of performance in his sleep, bringing a quiet, stoic depth to the Smith character. The supporting cast is top drawer as well, especially William H. Macy as `Tick Tock' McGlaughlin, the initially skeptical radio sports commentor who becomes a full blown Seabiscuit supporter.

Director Gary Ross captures the time period marvelously, with broken human beings slowly recapturing their dignity and pride against a landscape of barren ruin. The conflicts are fought not on traditional battlefields, but atop magnificent beasts along a circular track, and Ross wisely utilizes this metaphor to full effect.

Many film goers this season will most certainly pass on `Seabiscuit,' choosing instead to see standard fare like `American Wedding' and `Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.' Others will undoubtedly avoid it because it looks to artsy to be entertaining. For whatever reason, it will be a shame that this film will not do well financially; the horse race scenes are some of the most intense I've ever seen, and the animals are pure poetry in motion.

9 out of 10 stars. A nearly flawless motion picture.

So here it is: a story about a horse that would give spirit to a whole nation, after the depression of the late 20's and early 30's. Make it a story where the horse and it's jockey have to overcome injury to win it's final great race, and you got your tearjerker (and, therefore, Oscar winner) right there.

But, somehow, 'Seabiscuit' is much more than that. What is definitely a help, is it's incredible cast. Tobey McGuire once more shows he's one of the better youngsters around in Hollywood, and old-timers Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper will do the rest for ya, even though Cooper is not at his best here as Tom Smith, the trainer for the horse. Then there's William H. Macy in a hilarious role as 'Tick Tock McGlaughlin', a radio presenter.

The life-story we follow the most though is that of Charles Howard (Bridges), owner of the horse. As a self-made millionaire selling cars, who lost his son due to a car-accident, he finds a little bit of joy back to life, with his new wife and his new love, the horsing business. His inspirational speeches make 'Seabiscuit' a crowd-pleaser, in particular that of the 'common people', who recognize themselves in the little horse.

As said, the movie is a little bit too much of a happy ending story to really make it into the 'classic' category, but the movie looks great and hasn't got a boring moment in it. Good acting all around therefore make it a very pleasant movie experience. Although the 7 academy award nominations were a little bit much...

7/10.

As the depression era kicks in, Americans were grasping for any sort of inspiration they could get, enter equine supreme, Seabiscuit. Considered broken down, too small and untrainable, Seabiscuit went on to become a bastion of great racehorses and in the process bringing solace to those closest to it.

Back in 2003 upon its initial release, critics were very divided as to the merits of Seabiscuit as a picture. Some were concerned that this adaptation from Laura Hillenbrand's highly thought of novel missed too many crucial elements, others were merely touting the tired old charge of the film purely baiting Oscar (something that is levelled at every film in history about hope and second chances), the more astute critics of the time however lauded it as the delightful and inspiring piece that it is.

It would be churlish of me to not agree that Seabiscuit is laced with sentiment, rookie director Gary Ross barely wastes a chance to tug the heart strings and paint an evocative sequence, but if you have got it in you to accept this true story for its base emotional point, then it is one hell of a wonderful experience. Seabiscuit is not just about the equine beauty of the picture, it's also a fusion of three men's personal wavering, who for one reason or another need the horse for far more important crutches than those provided by financial gain, make no bones about it, Seabiscuit is a very human drama. Knowing how the picture will end never once becomes a problem, because the historical accuracy in the story makes one yearn for that grandiose ending, one to gladden the heart in the way it must have done to thousands upon thousands of Americans back in the depression era day.

Ross wisely chooses to filter in as much realism as he possibly can, archive stills and narration serve as exceptional points of worth to the narrative structure. Then there is the first rate cast to fully form the emotional complexities that Seabiscuit provides. Jeff Bridges, Tobey Maguire (waif like), Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, top American jockey Gary Stevens and a splendidly jaunty William H Macy, all can rightly feel proud of their respective work on this picture. Yet it's with the thundering race sequences that Seabiscuit really triumphs best, magnificent beasts hurtling around the race track are excellently handled by Ross and his cinematographer, John Schwartzman, whilst a nod of approval must go to the sound department's efforts, for this is definitely one to give your sub-woofer a work out.

Seabiscuit was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning none, perhaps the Academy also felt like those critics who thought it was trying too hard for a Golden Statue? But now after the dust has settled some years later, it pays to revisit Seabiscuit and judge it on its own emotional terms, for it's a tremendously well crafted picture that is of course as inspirational as it most assuredly is tender, a fine fine picture indeed. 9/10

Unlike most people, I haven't had that many cases in which I didn't particularly rave over a good movie because it couldn't live up to the book....but that was the case here.

This is a good movie. I realize that, but Laura Hillenbrand's book, from which this movie is taken, is hands-down the best sports book I have ever read. So, I eagerly anticipated the movie. I found out what so many other people discovered when their favorite was made into a film: it can't live up to it. In fairness, no two-hour film can do justice to a good book.

In this case, there were many things the jockey, owner and trainer went through that made the story so compelling, and they weren't in the movie. I won't detail them. Just read the book. But you can't appreciate what these men and that gutsy racehorse really accomplished just by the film. It only scratches the surface.

I can accept those omissions because of time constraints but I cannot accept Hollywood inserting offensive language into the movie that was not in the book, such as a dozen usages of the Lord's name in vain, NONE of which was in the book. That's inexcusable.

The movie's strength was its beauty, just magnificently filmed. Man, this is a gorgeous film, from the first shot to the last. Director Gary Ross and Director Of Photography John Schwartzman put a lot of loving care into this film and it shows. The actors were fine, too. No complaints there.

If this film appealed to you, I cannot recommended the book enough. Please check it out.

"Sea Biscuit" is a story about a long shot horse and a man who discover each other on the road to equestrian glory. An extremely rewarding journey though the lives of man and beast. Every aspect of human emotion, bonding and courage is explored with an "equine" tinge. Set in a time when horse racing is more passion than business, Seabiscuit glorifies the positive appeal of horse racing. Every derby event is an emotional doorway which lifts your spirits. Be it the Santa Anita or the Pimilco, you are just just hanging on the edge of your seat praying, vying and hoping for a Seabiscuit win. Such is the emotional grasp and visual brilliance of Gary Ross's direction and Scwartzman's cinematography. Being a thoroughbred race horse by birth, Seabiscuit treads the race track under the watchful eyes of trainer Tom Smith (played by Chris Cooper) and jockey Red Poddard (played by Tobey Mcguire). What follows is a sequence of predictable vicissitudes. Why! This movie wasn't advertised in the mystery genre either!

A frail looking (really) Tobey manages to deeply bond with the horse at least on screen, kudos indeed. Nobody else could have possibly fit into his role as well as he did, physically too. Chris Cooper is the silent marvel. There is a completely subtle tinge to his acting which lays low, yet beautifully exuberates class. Seabiscuit is simply one of those "silent' movies which just hurtles you beyond imaginable frontiers. Sit back and relax and let the long shot consume you.

The story of Seabiscuit, one of the winningest horses of all time. This story is true, the events are true, the characters are real. Sure, things might be fictionalized for the entertainment value, but basically this is it! Seabiscuit was a symbol of hope during the Great Depression for people, a symbol that the underdog could win. It's a bad sign when people have to put their faith in a running horse, but I suppose that's how it was.

The characters each have their own outlook. Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), horse trainer: "every horse is good for something", even if that something is not racing. He's the optimist. Cooper is vastly under-appreciated as an actor.

Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), automobile entrepreneur and amateur horse owner: "everyone needs a second chance", another optimist, though with much less pure motivation. And then Tobey MacGuire as jockey Red Pollard, he's just a blind drunk.

William H. Macy as Tick-Tock McLauchlin is the pessimist and cynic, calling Seabiscuit the "surprise in the punchbowl". But this is a happy story, so he's proved wrong. Interestingly, the great race is against War Admiral, which happens to be his uncle!

I can't say a bad thing about this movie. There wasn't a single moment that I didn't like. Everyone who acted in this movie did no less than perfection. The movie has so much depth, has so much feeling and emotion and none of it feels forced, phoney or corny/ham handed. The development of the characters and the plot feels very natural and real and the movie flows at a comfortable pace. It's a movie you can cry tears of joy about and not feel weird about it. And to think I was so naive and close minded that I didn't see it in the theater because I told myself, "Who wants to see a movie about a racehorse?" If only I'd known how ignorant that statement was. I'd pay several times the admittance to have seen this in the theater, just to have had that added experience of seeing it there. This movie easily makes my top 5 of all time and is probably the best movie I've ever seen, and although I've seen it a few times now I still have a strong emotional response to it every time I watch it and feel my appreciation of it not waning, but only enriching. This movie is truly a "Must See." I hope you like it as much as I do.

Excellent sports drama about the intense relationship between a jockey and his horse. I loved this movie, but the fact that it is based on a true story makes it even better. If "Seabiscuit" wasn't based on true events, this movie would have looked like another classic Disney-movie. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with these kinds of movies, but what usually disturbs me, is the fact that they are so unbelievable and predictable.

Tobey Maguire gives an excellent performance as Red Pollard, the young but very talented jockey. Many other great performances in this movie by the always enjoyable Jeff Bridges, the outstanding Chris Cooper (Adaptation.) and the beautiful Elizabeth Banks (Spiderman) who plays Bridges' second wife.

Although this second Gary Ross-movie is less my kind of movie than "Pleasentville" was, I truly enjoyed watching it. He is an excellent director and outstanding screenwriter. I certainly would like seeing more of his work. Recommendable and enjoyable sports movie. Not exactly an intense and gripping drama, but worth a watch! 7,5/10

A man makes a horse do things it can't do on its own. Not worth it. Just watched the Pixar movie Ratatouille instead. You get the same exact story but with food.

Seabiscuit is an old fashioned feel good film with Rockyesque aspirations of an underdog in a depression era USA which brings hope to a nation.

Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) is a wealthy car dealer (shades of Tucker about Bridges role) who has suffered losses when the depression struck. Tom Smith (Chris Cooper) is a veteran trainer who fixes injured horses and Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) a Canadian jockey blinded in one eye and has a short fuse.

Then there is Seabiscuit a mistreated and temperamental colt. Red and Seabiscuit who are both volatile become close and the horse racks up some impressive victories in the west coast and captures the public's imagination but there are more obstacles to overcome.

Director Gary Ross gives the film plenty of heart and sentimentality and just about gets away with it because the cast invest so much in the story despite some well worn clichés but uplifts you as the viewer.

Usually when the book of a film is made (A La Akiva Goldsman, "A Beautiful Mind) the makers feel the need to Hollywoodise it and take out the more objectionable elements, for this film the real story of Seabiscuit is so amazing that they had to actually remove some of the elements that were too Hollywood, such is the story of this marvellous little race horse.

Seabiscuit was a racehorse deemed too demanding by its original trainer and sold to Charles Howard, an automobile salesman. Howard hired Tom Smith, an unorthodox trainer who instinctively understood horses, who knew exactly what was required to get the best of Seabiscuit. Smith hired jockey Red Pollard to ride the biscuit and the combination of owner, rider and trainer would reap dividends, becoming a symbol of hope for America during the great depression, managing to beat all comers, with the the exception of the one horse that stood above the entire thoroughbred division, the mighty War Admiral.

This film is another of Dave Ross' excellent under-rated body of work, with a cast giving great performances, most notably Chris Cooper as the quietly all-knowing Smith. The story is fascinating, as the three different human characters, all with their own tragedies and problems, are told with passion, conviction and honesty, a rarity in film-making. The story of the other main lead, the biscuit, is also done with real skill, with the training and races handled superbly, managing to convey both the excitement and the inherent dangers in being a jockey at the end of the great depression.

This would have been considered a rank outsider for the best picture, had it contended in any other year when the "The Return of the King" wasn't contending, but just because it didn't win, don't let that put you off investing an hour and a half in one of the best true stories of all time.

PS. After watching the film I recommend you read the book, "Seabiscuit" by Laura Hillenbrand

One of my favorite movies. Movies based off of books make me read the book, but with this, that isn't so. This movie and the Harry Potter ones are good enough that I don't need to read the book- and I read all the time.. avid reader. When I first watched it years ago, it was a little boring at the beginning. I now fast forward the beginning, as I already know it and want to watch the horse parts. I think horse people would like this movie more than non-horse people. But all movies will have people that like it and don't; different tastes and opinions, but I like this movie. There were inappropriate scenes that I'd hate when I was younger, but the horse racing is exciting. I think Seabiscuit wins... and that was like "Duh." Of course he wins. I like things that are odd/different and unlikely to succeed, so I liked the plot, the odd little horse, large jockey...

Seabiscuit is actually the winning TRIFECTA of sports films. The parallel story of a burned out horse trainer, and both a jockey and a horse (Seabiscuit) who are first overlooked for their obvious flaws are melded together by a wealthy horse owner (Jeff Bridges) who has suffered with his own personal losses into a tapestry of unbelievable wins that make every sports fan and horse racing bettor appreciate the goodness inside of both horse and mankind.

The basic story reminds us that as down on our luck as one person/horse can become, there is light at the end of the tunnel if only we choose to pick each other up from whence we have fallen.

I have watched this film several times and it still brings tears of joy to my eyes and heart.

I rate it a perfect 10 out of 10 IMDb rating.

During the Depression, an undersized, "lazy" horse named Seabiscuit becomes a champion, lifting the spirits of both its team and that of the nation. Jeff Bridges plays the owner, Tobey Maguire the jockey and Chris Cooper the trainer. Valerie Mahaffey is on hand as the owner's wife.

Based on the real story, "Seabiscuit" (2003) is reminiscent in tone of another timeless historical drama starring Bridges, "Tucker: The Man and His Dream" (1988) by Francis Ford Coppola. I prefer the underrated "Tucker" because it's snappier and less vague, but "Seabiscuit" ain't no slouch.

Like the historically-based "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972) the manner of storytelling respects the intelligence of the viewer to sometimes read between the lines. One of the best parts is the build-up to the race with War Admiral and the thrilling race itself. Not knowing the real-life events, a couple of the twists were surprising. The first act, however, seems bogged down by extraneous details about the owner.

The film runs 2 hour, 19 minutes and was shot in California, New York and Kentucky.

GRADE: B

Lovable movie. Story, acting, and rest of the all elements were great. Definetely one of the maquire's good movies. With a huge heart, intelligent writing and fantastic performances by all the cast, this is about as perfect as a movie can be.

The experience of reading Laura Hillenbrand's SEABISCUIT is one of those rare instances where the right author and subject converge to give the mass readership an unforgettable interpretation of a famous historical character and the events that surrounded his life. The fact that the main protagonist is a diminutive Thoroughbred race horse whose nascent racing career was nearly ended by trainers who misunderstood the beast, and the resulting triumph of that beleaguered animal and his human cohorts who brought him to glory makes this Depression Era Saga all the more compelling. Hillenbrand's great narrative gift was to immerse the reader in another time and place, in this case the gritty, vivid world of America's Depression years. Spanning the entire decade of the 1930's, this true tale of a "little horse that could" becomes much more than just another horse story.

SEABISCUIT is really an Epic, covering the sweeping changes in the transportation industry as well as the dramatic events that shaped the first half of the Twentieth Century in America. How those industrial changes and social events are tied to the main characters in Hillenbrand's story makes for indelible reading.

SEABISCUIT has a narrative drive and epic sweep not unlike Margaret Mitchell's GONE WITH THE WIND.

In transferring this modern American Classic to the to the screen, director Gary Ross took on a daunting task. As Hillenbrand wrote it, the book covers an awful lot of ground. It starts with a young man on a train trip West with 21 cents in his pocket and ends 44 years later in the high country of California. It is peopled with unforgettable characters: Charles Howard , a former bicycle repair man who became an enormously wealthy automobile dealer ; his beloved second wife, Marcela, who turned Howard's life around after a family tragedy and became a savvy business partner in her own right ; Red Pollard, a down and out jockey who traveled the amateur racing circuit looking for his big break ; Tom Smith, a taciturn, tight-lipped horse trainer who had a secret communication with the equine world ; and George Woolf, the colorful, dashing jockey who raced into the History Books

The movie of SEABISCUIT is a horse of a very different color. Director Garry Ross has made a staid and stately film of Hillenbrand's book. Technically the movie is very impressive, with its beautifully composed panoramic shots, authentic sets and costumes. The acting by the main principals is hard to fault. Tobey Maguire, a master of understatement, does some real stretching here ; his Red Pollard is a scrappy, moving performance. Chris Cooper offers a more amiable take on the Tom Smith character.

Jeff Bridges plays Charles Howard with a sad eyed countenance. As for Seabiscuit , whatever alchemy created this equine character for the screen, it's a great portrayal. The nag is captured in all his moods, from stubborn and rebellious to cunning and victorious. Unfortunately, Ross's film is terribly disappointing. As impressive as the picture is in its physical recreation of the times, it trips up in what should be its most important element : the screenplay. The dialog spoken by the main characters is reduced to cliché ridden bromides. It's understandable that certain dramatic licenses are taken to make a filmed story work dramatically, but in this case there doesn't seem to be the "ring of truth' to the verbal exchanges. As a result it undermines the movie's authenticity and what emerges is a larger than life historical pageant that only occasionally moves and thrills. Nevertheless, SEABISCUIT does offer a glimpse into the American Past. It's an earnest and honorable effort but It's no substitute for Laura Hillenbrand's saga, a story teeming with the sights and sounds of The Depression and Thoroughbrd Racing on every page. And that is the great difference. The movie has no life of its own.

When Seabiscuit was first released to theaters, I had absolutely no desire to see it whatsoever. The three girls in my family who had read the book were adamantly for seeing it and insisted we all go. I walked into the theater expecting to be bored for two hours.

But I was sure wrong!!! This movie is the perfect example of a film that has taken an overall boring subject and made it into something extraordinary. Each cast member performs splendidly, and you really feel for each and every one of them. Tobey Maguire's lead performance is nothing short of amazing, especially the bond he creates with the horse. Jeff Brodges and Chris Cooper also turn in excellent work as his owner and trainer, respectively. Also a splendid(and Academy Award-nominated) performance by William H. Macy as the radio DJ Tick Tock McGlaughlin. I truly believe all these performers made4 this movie the best it could have possibly been.

Because Seabiscuit isn't really a racing movie, or a sports movie- it's a beautiful and touching look at how the relationship between this horse and this man could change so many lives, and, ultimately, change America. The last scene still gets tears from me every time.

So, sit back, relax, and keep some tissues ready. This movie will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, laughing out loud, and even tearing up. Truly a very good film.

Jay Addison

I'll first start off by saying that this was a good movie. The first 40 minutes were close to unwatchable because they were boring and pointless, but the movie took off after that and had me glued to the screen. The footage during races was as close to the real thing as it gets. The camera work was amazing, though sometimes it changed angles too often in a race and made you dizzy. Cooper, Bridges, and Tobey were all well cast and did a fine job, Cooper especially. Now as far as the factual events of this movie, how they painted War Admiral was a disgrace. I know they wanted to do this because they felt it would add to the legend of Seabiscuit and make it a better movie, but when its supposed to be a true story, at least tell it like a true story. Seabiscuit was a great, courageous horse with the heart of a lion but this could have been told with painting War Admiral as the evil, overrated, heartless horse. First off, War Admiral was 15.2 hands, not over 18 hands like the movie tells. The two horses were basically the same size. Seabiscuit, in fact outweighed the Admiral. Those are the facts that the movie got wrong. Next are the things they conveniently decided to leave out. In the movie, it appears that War Admiral is ducking Seabiscuit for months and refuses to race him. What they don't tell is that twice before the match race, both horses were scheduled to race each other (once in a match race, the other in a stakes), and both times Seabiscuit was scratched by Howard. The first came in a $100k winner-take-all match race at belmont park on May 30th. After arriving at belmont on April 25th, Seabiscuit didnt train well after the long cross country trip and was scratched. Next came the Massachusetts Handicap on June 29, in which both horses entered and were weighted at 130. It rained the day of the race, turning the track into mud so 45 minutes before the race, Seabiscuit was once again scratched. The movie also forgot to mention that after the match race Riddle asked for a rematch in the nine-furlong Rhode Island Handicap at Narragansett Park in which both horses were eligible for. However, Howard once again withdrew his horse because the rematch would be only 11 days after the match race. The movie paints War Admiral as this horse that was born with all the skills and never had to work because of his god given talent. They don't mention that he was smaller than most of the horses he faced. They don't mention that he routinely gave up 5-15 lbs to horses that were bigger and older than him. They don't mention that in the Belmont Stakes, War Admiral ripped off an inch of his hoof at the start, then proceeded to run a mile and a half, leaving his rivals in the dust, and breaking the track record in the process. The hoof injury was not discovered untill his trainer spotted him in the winners circle standing in a pool of blood. Talk about heart. Riddle also got the short end of the stick. It wasn't mentioned in the movie how graceful he was after the match race, offering no excuses, only asking for a rematch which was not granted by Howard. The movie told a great story and elevated Seabiscuit to warrior status but did a great injustice to War Admiral that will probably never be erased. From now on non-racing fans and casual fans of the sport will remember the War Admiral that was portrayed in the movie, not the one in this review, which was the real War Admiral.

When I saw this film back in 2003, I thought it was brilliant. But now, the brilliant minds of modern animation have shown me the truth. This is simply a reverse ratatouille. It's time to wake up sheeple.