Seabiscuit

Dir: Gary Ross

2003

****

I'm always a little weary of films that are 'based' on a true story but after doing a bit of research into the events and characters portrayed in Gary Ross' Seabiscuit I'm pleased to discover that everything in the film is pretty much true, with only a few unimportant details left out. Seabiscuit was a real horse that really was somewhat of a symbol of hope during the great depression of the 1930s. Seabiscuits owner (Charles S. Howard), trainer (Tom Smith) and Jockey (John 'Red' Pollard) are all portrayed correctly, their personalities and actions accounted for. It would have been far easier for director Gary Ross to leave out certain scenes concerning George Woolf's involvement in the Seabiscuit story but credit to him, he saw the importance in the story and chose to tell it how it was. A race here and a character there are understandably left out but the essence of the story is true. When a story is worth telling then it is worth telling properly, a lesson often forgotten in Hollywood, making this (the second film about the famous race horse following 1949's The Story of Seabiscuit) somewhat of a breath of fresh air, particularly when everything about the film is near perfect. The direction is immaculate, with many of the racing scenes looking nothing short of stunning. The pace of the story is perfect, the lead actors coming together over time, giving the film the authenticity that is at the heart of it's success. Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper and Tobey Maguire all give perfect performances, subtle when they need to be and never over cooked or untimely. Elizabeth Banks, Gary Stevens, William H. Macy and Eddie Jones are all brilliant in their supporting roles and their are obviously lots of beautiful horses to enjoy. It's one thing to be a feel good film but to know that it is fact and is an accurate account of that story makes it even more enjoyable then it already is.