Review - Secretariat

A Great Ride

Horses fascinate people of all ages. Children always exclaim, “I want a pony!” As you get older, horseback riding is something most want to try. Getting up on top of the beautiful animal and riding with your hair flowing in the breeze has been romanticized more times than one can count. And then there are the animals that race. Muscular and built like any finely tune athlete, these are the horses that become legends. Secretariat would seem to be a story that was written only for the screen, but in fact, it happened.

Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) loved horses. Her father was the proud owner of racehorses for as long as she could remember. But he has reached the point in his life where he can’t really manage the once proud stable. And after Penny’s mother passes, she returns to help her father save the thing he so loved.

As the housewife from Colorado examines things, she realizes that she needs to make more decisions about the stable for her father. And she knows her horses, she was a daddy’s girl growing up, and still holds the passion for the powerful animals. She’s there to help, trying to split time with he family in Colorado and the farm in Virginia. When a special red horse is born, she sees an animal like no other. She knows this horse is special.

After a special selection process, Penny gets her horse, and the training begins. Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) is trying to retire from the business, but the golf swing isn’t quite up to par. Penny is looking for someone honest to take over their stable, but Laurin isn’t interested. That is until he takes a look at a special red horse and the bloodline that he came from. Despite thought of as the inferior of two horses born together, it is this horse that will make a name for Penny and Lucien.

As they train him, they realize just how unique he is, in every way. When he gets on the track, with the right jockey, he just might be one of the most special horses the world has ever seen. A journey through three races, a horse with a personality, life changing family events, and so much more will lead Penny and Secretariat across the finish line.

This film will pull at your heartstrings, no question about it. The story is one that is so magical that viewers, who don’t know, will be amazed that something like this could be based on actual events. And the team that puts it together knows how to work a family friendly plot.

Diane Lane is a good casting choice as Penny, bringing the drive and desire to a character who is passionate about horses. The real star of the cast is John Malkovich. His portrayal of the colorful character that knows horses makes for a fun addition to the film. The interactions between Lane and Malkovich run the gamut of emotions and are a special thing to watch.

The challenge in this film is that at times, it tries to get cute and cuddly just too much. It borders on cheesy from time to time with reporters that have lines that could have been much more real in feel and tone. But despite the times it is cheesy, despite those occasional over the top portrayals, it got me.

I found myself sucked in to the story. Despite knowing the outcome and how things would end, I wanted to cheer for Secretariat. Any time a film can take a story I know, and still make it enjoyable, that is a positive step. While Secretariat may not run to the lead of movies I’ve seen this year, it is a great ride.


B+

Secretariat
Walt Disney Pictures

Director: Randall Wallace
Cast: Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Scott Glenn, James Cromwell

Rating: PG for brief mild language.
Runtime: 116 minutes.