As my doctor says, a horse steak once a month, it's good for the heart but a movie about horses more than once a year is more than I can bear. I have never been very fond of this Hollywood subgenre that tries to transfer the We Can Do It motto in the Animal Kingdom. Recommended though for its culinary impact.
It adheres to the typical model of large-budgeted Hollywood films, circumventing important issues to focus on tried-and-tested formulas of popular cinema. Maybe there is nothing inherently wrong with this film, but it supports and represents what is bad with current Hollywood filmmaking processes. Lane, Martindale and Malkovich's performance's are good, but by no means their best. Enjoyable, I guess, but problematic.
While it has many flaws (including the laughter that comes when the choral music suddenly appears during the last stretch of the race) it is good entertainment even though it feels stretched to unbearable lengths.
A flim unsure of what it wants to be: "a feel good family film"; "an oscar bait seabiscuit knock off"'; "a female empowerment film", and winds up being just some disney hockum. Not the fault of Lane or Malkovich both whom are quite outstanding here. The film is sunk by its own cliche and terrible use of "inspirational" music. Some fine moments within the races and Lane's characters' determination. A miss.
