October 8, 2010 Secretariat
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures Rating: PG for brief mild language.
Diane Lane (Penny Chenery) stars as housewife turned horse owner in "Secretariat." With her father falling ill, Chenery takes over his stables in Virginia.
With very little knowledge about the sport she reaches out to veteran trainer Lucian Laurin (John Malkovich). Together, they discover a colt named Secretariat.
Chenery believes the horse is destined for greatness, but with her stables in financial trouble, other owners make a play to obtain the animal.
Chenery wins the horse on a coin toss and her faith in Secretariat is eventually rewarded. She enters the horse in the 1973 Kentucky Derby, the first leg of the fabled Triple Crown.
The rest is history....
Disney really knows how to make these kinds of movies. Already successful with "The Rookie" and "Miracle," "Secretariat" is another winner.
As Lane slowly learns the business of horse racing, she quickly discovers it is mostly a man's world. But Secretariat's ability cannot be denied, and we watch him on his journey to become perhaps the greatest racing horse of all time.
Malkovich adds plenty of flavor, with Scott Glenn, James Cromwell and Dylan Walsh rounding out an excellent cast.
The pictures are beautiful, imbued with a warm glow that captures the epic feel of Secretariat's bid for legendary status.
My only quibble with the film is it's pacing. I wish there were a bit more action, to match the energy of the horse himself.
There are parts which drag a bit, but overall this is an entertaining story.
On my rating scale, "Secretrariat" earns a TRIPLE.
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October 8, 2010
