Seabiscuit (Widescreen Edition)

1 Entertaining but still missing something
I liked this movie but I was disappointed also. I have seen a lot of very well made documentaries on Seabiscuit and one in particular that I saw on PBS just before this film was released on DVD. So, I couldn't wait to see the movie. The documentary I saw was actually more entertaining than this movie and had that "edge of your seat" suspense that the movie lacked. The documentary on PBS contained a lot of exciting horse races that Seabiscuit was in and the narration and story was very well made. Also, I found the narration in the MOVIE to be out of place - the movie didn't need it. It's a great story but it was a bit lackluster at times. The acting and cinematography was very good. I wonder if my review and rating of this movie would have been different if I had not seen all those great documentaries on Seabiscuit before I watched the DVD - I may have had a better reaction to the film. Maybe time will change my rating to a higher grade. It still was entertaining and I recommend this movie to all. My rating: B+

2 Horsefeathers
Biopics are hard to do when they're about people, let alone animals. Arguably, this pic was about people too; however, the star of the show was a four-footer and his race---and, sadly, the production left me wanting to drown my disappointment in a feedbag of fermented oats. I had really been looking forward to this film, so it was a double-downer. The close-ups of the horses were kind of thrilling, the stories of the people were not. The use of bogus news reels was annoying and cheesy and, while I'm a Randy Newman fan, I found his score cloying. The best of the three leads was Tobey McGuire; Chris Cooper and Jeff Bridges both looked befuddled and misdirected. Surprisingly, my favorite performer had only about 5 minutes of screen time: William H. Macy as a hyper-enthusiastic announcer---he nailed the 'tude and tone of sportscasters of yore. I think Seabiscuit could have been a good documentary or a good movie, but not both at the same time. Two thumbs down, both mine.

3 He's gonna look a lot smaller in a minute, Georgie
Bravo!

The amazing true story of Seabsicuit comes to life!

the racing scenes were incredible. The casting was superb-- especially Chris Cooper as Tom Smith.

Not very often does truly GOOD movie like this come along.. It has heart, it is educational, it is fun, it is honest and gritty.

Horse racing fan? History buff? Tobey fan? Horse fanatic? A lover of great, uplifting movies? Then you MUST own this.

4 An Excellent Movie in every way
The film is slightly different from the book; but the feeling of the movie seems almost more authentic than the book. The setting of the times was extremely successful; nothing felt 'cute' or 'designery' about the sets and tangibles of the depression and post depression era. All of the actors brought their characters alive - and the horse is fantastic!

The racing sequences are quite exciting, except for close-ups of the jockeys (movie jockey's not the actual ones) and the wierd, rocking horse mounts. But they were correct in putting in the actual footage of the races, because then you know this was a real occurrence, and not that long ago in history.

The story is also told from a popular psychology point of view: a runty, wierd looking little race horse, Seabiscuit, who was down on his luck at the time he was taken in and trained to be a champion (that he really always was deep down) like millions of Americans in the depression era- he came to represent the hopes and aspirations of many Americans who identified with him.

It's an upbeat story; ending well. Unlike the book, which is also good, but in the book we learn how everyone really ends up which was not as fortunate as Seabiscuit.

5 So Long Charlie!
One word. THE BEST! Ok, that was 2 words but you catch my drift!

6 amazing
absolutely awesome. It make you sit back in your seat and sweat. Only one other movie did that to me. The Return of the King. Anything that can do that to me, I like. Perfect cast, and I'm surprised it wasn't nominated for way more Academy Awards. I say It should have been nominated for at least 10, i'm serious. It is absolutely stunning. I think the best performance is actually Chris Cooper as the trainer. He should win an Academy Award sometime. An awesome movie, i highly recommend you see it.

7 A Slow Start - A Great Finish
This movie has a very slow start for the first one hour, but you want to stay with it as it has a superb finish. It is the story of four unlikely heros who during the 1920s and 1930s defied the odds to rise to the top of horse racing. The horse owner, the horse trainer, the jockey and Seabiscuit present a heartwarming true story, against long odds but filled with courage, loyalty and great effort, as they achieve greatness.

8 Great feel good flick!
Hope rose from the ashes of dreams broken in the Great Depression in the form of Seabiscuit, the little horse that could. This story of an owner and down-and-out trainer and jockey who made the impossible possible and defeated even a Triple Crown winner is all the more heartwarming because it's true. Tobey Maguire shows just how underrated he is as an actor as legendary jockey Red, and casting real champion Gary Stevens as George Wolfe adds realism to racing scenes perfectly choreographed and coordinated by Chris McCarron. Although there's some cursing, drinking and a lot of brawling, I still recommend this as a great family film. Enjoy

9 A heartfelt approach to American dream...
Adapted from the novel with the same title, Seabiscuit is a movie dealing with soul searching, ventures, and hopes in life. Not only is it another movie promoting courage and human tenacity, the historical setting of the Great Depression vitalizes the three male protagonists whose destinies were linked by coincidence.

Charles Howard, played by Jeff Bridges, was a successful entrepreneur who hit the goldmine with the automobiles he developed by chance. However, things went upside down when the Great Depression caused the collapse of his enterprise, his only son killed by his very own automobile, and his wife's subsequent leave. On the other hand, Tom Smith (Chris Cooper) was a veteran horse trainer who became underappreciated and isolated after the depression. Red Pollard, played by Tobey Maguire, was abandoned by his parents at young and struggled to support himself both on a horse race course and a boxing ring, ending up black and blue.

The three miserable men met and stake their ambitions on horse racing. After tying the knots with his second wife, Howard returned to his aspiring self and decided to venture on horse racing. He later recruited Smith and together they found Seabiscuit, a small horse whom Smith believed to possess unlimited potential. Pollard happened to be the only person who could placate Seabiscuit's wild temper and consequently he became the jockey. Together Seabiscuit and Pollard conquered most competitors in a number of races. However, awful truths were revealed and later other accidents occurred, so they had much more to overcome...

While the plot may be another clichŽ aimed to inspire people, the narration throughout the movie remains entertaining and the acting is superb. The little horse was expertly trained and really makes viewers believe that it has lived the story. In addition, the movie's 141-minute running time enables it to insert depth which prevents it from falling in the foul category of inane comedies.

To stand up again after numerous times of stumbles is the key to American spirit, and this movie really epitomizes the refusal of conceding. Although such optimism appears unrealistic at times, it is what people like to believe. Thus, the movie is truly an excellent piece of wish fulfillment, showing that everything is possible.

10 Romanticized but nice...
Great period costumes, great musical score, and who can ever resist the story of someone (or in this case, 3 someones and a some-horse) being down and out and coming back to triumph?

Every member of the cast is steller. Tobey Maguire, my favorite, as Red Pollard (jockey), brings the perfect blend of bookish, literature-quoting, damaged vulnerability and angry street-wise smartmouth. William Macy, with that unique staccato delivery of his, cracked me up everytime he was on screen as the sound-effect happy announcer.

I echo those reviewers who expressed the opinion that the movie starts out slowly and builds interest as it progresses; no matter, so did Star Wars.

I enjoyed the extras of the dvd, all of which are interesting and relevant, including a bit of back history about Seabiscuit himself and another on making the film. (Tobey Maguire as Pollard was sometimes just sitting on a stepladder rather than a real horse in more than one shot!)

One thing I have to say about this film: It piqued my interest enough to do a little research as to what became of everyone, the owner, trainer and jockey as well as the horse, after winning their ultimate. I was somewhat puzzled and disappointed as to why there was no footnote added to the film telling of their fates. Well, now I know why. After all that pulling together as a team, they all drifted apart. Red Pollard slid down the sucess ladder until the point where he was actually just hotwalking racehorses; Seabiscuit himself was put out to stud, but dropped dead of a heart attack at the age of 14, not even middle aged for a horse. I'm really happy those associated with the film chose to end it on such an upbeat and hopeful and positive note, even if it didn't accurately portray their fates. Full-on accuracy would never be so entertaining.

11 Worth buying
It's Ken Burns meets Frank Capra in the inspirational true story of Seabiscuit, the little horse who could. This inspirational tale follows a half-blind ex-boxer (Tobey Maguire), a mustang breaker (Chris Cooper) and a millionaire (Jeff Bridges) as they bring their knobby-kneed, undersized racehorse, Seabiscuit (played by a herd of horses), to win Horse of the Year honors in 1938. But the movie is not just about a racer; the horse's personal story of triumph over tragedy mirrors that of the American nation in that era. Based upon the book by Laura Hillenbrand.

Staci Layne Wilson
Author of Staci's Guide to Animal Movies

12 A few comments
I just had a few brief comments on this film.

I really enjoyed this film and was surprised at how good it was and how well it kept my interest, especially considering I don't know much about horse racing. I'm usually not too sentimental about films, but this one is truly a heartwarming story about a kindly, big-hearted tycoon who basically takes in three rejects and outcasts: the jockey (Toby McGuire), the old cowboy and horse-trainer (Chris Cooper), and Seabiscuit himself, and with his support and encouragement they overcome all odds to turn into a winning team and make Seabiscuit the most famous racehorse of all time. As Bridges says in one of his speeches to the press, "Our horse is too small, our jockey is too big, our trainer is too old, and I'm too dumb to know the difference," (which gets a big laugh from the crowd).

One of the most touching scenes in the movie is when the jockey and Seabiscuit, both recently injured and thought too seriously to ever return to racing, are both shown limping around the estate's grounds together on their long road back to recovery.

Also, it's nice to see Ned Beatty is still working. He has a brief cameo as the doctor who advises Jeff Bridges that McGuire shouldn't try to ride since if his injured leg breaks again, he could be permanently crippled and never walk again.

I read part of the book before seeing the movie, and there was one fascinating fact there I wanted to mention. The year Seabiscuit was winning all his races he had more mentions in the paper than the president himself--a truly amazing fact and another testamonial to how famous he became. The story of Seabiscuit captured the imagination of a depression-weary America with its tale of an unlikely underdog who eventually defeats the legendary War Admiral to become the champ.

I also recall some years ago the Associated Press and ESPN did a 100 greatest athletes of the last century, and Seabiscuit was listed right along with Babe Ruth, Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, Muhammed Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, and other famous names.

13 Real Horse, Real Life, Very Good
Hollywood can make great movies. However, it seems in this era of special effects and superheroes that it is difficult to make a movie about characters or historical events that proves that people can be charmed by this type of movie. "Seabiscuit" is one such movie that succeeds in being excellent.

"Seabiscuit" is the true story of an undersized horse with a lot of spirit who met with an oversized jockey with a lot of spirit and an owner with too little spirit and a horse trainer with a focused spirit. A lot of spirit for one movie, but in real life and in the movie, these people needed each other to be more than they were, and more than they could be. Indeed, the movie even states that maybe the entire country needed the story of Seabiscuit; maybe they did.

The movie starts very slowly. We quickly meet the three characters who will be instrumental in forming Seabiscuit into a champion, fast forwarding through their life in combination with the events of the "Great Depression." I must admit that initially I had a hard time staying with the movie because of the semi-documentary style of the film and the pacing. However, bear with this portion of the movie because the character development is important to the second half of the movie.

Once the characters come together, we also follow Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire in one of the best acted roles in which he has appeared) as he matures as a jockey and Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) as he returns from the void into which he fell when his son died. We also have an opportunity to appreciate the character of Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), whose life is about horses. These three remarkable people meet with an abused horse with an ability that only Tom Smith recognized.

The movie follows Seabiscuit as he makes a name for himself and West Coast horse racing, eventually challenging the reigning champion of the day, War Admiral, a distant cousin.

I am only able to give you the merest hint of the excellence of the cast. The people selected for their roles performed phenomenally well, and perhaps there should have been more Academy Award nominations for the cast. As it was, the movie had very difficult competition in the year of its release, overshadowed by "The Return of the King." One character who adds some lightness to this serious movie is William H. Macy as Tick Tock McGlaughlin, a radio announcer. Watching him create his own sound effects while keeping up a running spiel was fascinating and humorous.

I tend to rate movies throughout as I watch them. This movie started with two stars. It slowly built to three stars. At the three quarter point I was up to four stars, and the finish of the movie, which I thought was excellent, allowed me to rate this movie at five stars. Therein lies my warning to the viewer; give this movie a chance. "Seabiscuit" is an excellent movie that deserves to be watched from beginning to end.

14 EXCELLENT MOVIE/Guaranteed to shed a tear!!!
Definitely a wonderful movie, Seabiscuit, brings to the screen the story of four unlikely heroes who are down on their luck: a businessman/horse owner, a horse jockey, a horse trainer, and finally the horse itself. Thanks to each other, however, they overcome life's difficulties and prevail. The movie is set during the Great Depression of the 1930's and it is about pain and suffering, hope and second chances, but most importantly about how courage, trust, and inner strength, can lead out of situations, which might seem bleak or desperate at first glance. A great movie indeed, full of symbolism, which will surely bring tears to one's eyes! Needless to say, Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and the rest of the cast have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least!

15 Horse Dung
If you're into American Idol, if you like Nicholas Sparks books, and if you're excited about Lindsay Lohan's new album, this movie is totally for you. If, however, you have read a book or grown up outside of a cave, you will thoroughly detest this awful, awful movie. Seeing how many positive, glowing reviews this horrific movie received is sincerely scary. No wonder so many modern movies are terrible if this movie is apparently so well liked.

16 I Dig A Pony
Seabiscuit is an excellent movie for all ages.

At first, I had my misgivings. Just another sappy, shallow, feel good story was what I thought that this was going to be. However, I was fortunate to at least have an open mind and watch.

The acting is superb; even Tobey Maguire of Spider-Man fame was credible in his portrayal of the jockey, Red Pollard. Intermittently, the narration of the events surrounding Seabiscuit, the horse, and the popularity of horse racing during the 1930's was eloquently delivered by David McCullough, whose voice added flair to the historical accounts in Ken Burns' higly acclaimed documentary, The Civil War.

Speaking of Ken Burns, had he completed a project that focused on Americam life during The Great Depression, then Seabiscuit might have been regarded as one of the excerpted docudramas but with the added detail and close examination necessary for a great drama in its own right.

Though it did not receive an Academy Award for Best Picture of 2003, which went to the immortal classic, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Seabiscuit, nevertheless, could pull in the reins to hold its own and come out as a Triple Crown of a theatrical release.

17 The story of hopes and dreams
Just simply uplifting, the story of four people, including the horse, who need a second chance and a Triple Crown win to tell them what they already believe: that they are lame, battered, but still afire with the divine spark.

The era of ladies' hats, white gloves, a big American sense of possibility, and horse racing at its most exciting gets the full treatment here. No also-rans in this move; everyone's performance is perfect, particularly the ever-watchable William H. Macy as an ebullient radio announcer.

This is the kind of movie we need. As author Joyce Spizer says, "I..ask those in Hollywood to write from their heads, and their heart, not from their breasts, dirty mouths, and dumbing down of our children. We need more 'Seabiscuit' films and less 'Porky's'." I agree.

18 The Story of a Nation...
Seabiscuit is one of those movies which I should have seen much earlier, but did not do so because of the generally unfavourable reviews which I received from friends. Next time, I am going to be much more probing and patient.
It turned out to be one of the most incredible movies I have seen in many years. But here I must say something about movies in general. Different people have a different penchant towards movies. Most of the times, this is obviously so because of our specific interests. An ice-hockey fan is much more likely to truly appreciate the movie 'Miracle', based on the American team's victory against Russia in the 1981 olympics. And so it goes for any one of us. In my case, American History is one of my major intersts, and I so I don't find it surprising that I greatly liked 'Seabiscuit'.

The movie is hardly about a horse, although the horse is the central character in the movie. The most important thing is that it's based on a true story and that changes the equations. Seabiscuit, first and last, is about a people, struggling through depression times, who come together as a nation, beginning a juggernaut towards freedom and progress that continues to this day (Unfortunately we cannot be as certain about that statement given the events and attitudes of the past decade). The common spirit which embodies the American people and their dreams clearly shines through in the movie. Representing this dream is an unlikely combination of men; an ardent businessman who is the eternal optimist, a cast away but spirited trainer who nonetheless has a remarkable way with horses, and a smart alec, ambitious and intense jockey, with all the follies and hopes of youth. All three are facing the cruel ways of the depression. The businessman has lost a child and has been through a divorce, and is struggling to achieve his pre depression eminence and status. He meets a woman, in every way his equal, who will support him through every time. Having risen from rags to riches, he is the perfect example of the American ideal, honest yet ambitious, having great strength of character, yet warm, and most importantly, blissfully optimistic about the future. And that's exactly where the finishing line is for him-at the future. An extremely talented salesman, he is looking forward to have something to live for. Opportunity comes in the form of an aged, quiet, and extremely sincere horse trainer, who has a private and warm relationship with horses. The third character in the drama is a jockey who is struggling to make ends meet. A fierce ambition and Dickens's works keep him alive and well. Together, these three 'can-do' Americans find a horse, a lazy creature who nonetheless captures the attention of all three. They train him, plod him and finally lead him to victory. But that is as far as it can be trivialised.
The story of the horse is the story of the American people. This is demonstrated most convincingly in the publicity interviews which the businessman is extremely fond of giving. Slowly but surely, the horse is winning his way to success. He has to compete against the best bred animals in the country. He loses some, he wins some. In speaking to the reporters, who in those days were hungry for any heartening news to take the public's mind off the economic crisis, he constantly extols the virtues of not giving up. 'You lose some, and you win some. Sometimes, you fall down. But then you either pack up and go home, or you stay put and fight', he says. The reporters nod their head vigorously. That is what strikes a chord in the mind of every American in that time. 'Stay put!' That's exactly what Americans did in the 20s and 30s. And that is exactly what enabled that country to become the citadel of democracy during the dark ages that followed. It is all too easy for critics to attribute America's success to resources and money. But if it had not been for the unity and sense of a common way of life that millions of Americans shared, and the nitty gritty that they put into achieving it, all that would have come to naught. It is a tribute to the can-do spirit of the 'Yankees'. And Seabiscuit was one type of an epitome of that spirit. He did inspire a nation in a subtle but archetypal way, and it worked.

As for the performances, I have seldom seen such fine performances in which the actors really walk around in the skin of the characters. It's hard to say who among the three was better: Jeff Bridges as the good businessman with a gleam in his eye, always looking towards the future, Chris Cooper as the laid back looking but resolute horse trainer (his bearing is amazing), or Toby Maguire as the headstrong and single minded young jockey. I would say that each one of them deserved an Oscar nomination. The recreation of the period is charming, and the musical score by Randy Newman is perfect and nostalgic.

One of the allegiations I have heard about this movie is that it's predictable. But then so was the story about the prince, princess and the demon which my mother told me as a child. That fact diminished neither the virtue nor the value of the story. And in this case, the story is true. The fact that it's predictable does not mar it's inspirational character one bit. Also, it obviously looks predictable in retrospect! The three central characters hardly knew what their and their horse's fate was going to be. And a disturbed nation hardly knew what tidings the future would bring for her. But the horse and the nation, both persevered, and, at least for the most part, became a model of democracy for the rest of the world in a century that had almost brought it to an end through conflict.

19 Great American Underdog story
Seabiscuit is a heart warming story about how a horse, a businessman, a cowboy, and a lost jockey find each other and succeed when no one thought possible. This movie is based on actual events that happen during the depression in the 1930's. The director, Gary Ross, does a fabulous job on showing how the 4 separate stories all eventually run into each other. Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), makes a fortune in selling automobiles in the American West, also owns a small horse called Seabiscuit. Charles runs into a horse whisper named Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), who becomes the horse's trainer. Howard and Tom team up with a struggling jockey and boxer named Red Pollard (Toby Maguire). During the Great Depressions the American public's moral was down, but the story of Seabiscuit gave them hope for a better future.
All four of the main characters were faced with problem. These problems would have made other people give up on the dreams or even their lives. Nothing was looking good until they slowly found their way to each other. It is fate that the four eventually run into each other. Charles Howard's life takes a dramatic twist and he finds himself lonely, until he meets his future wife, Marcela. With her, Charles is able to see life in a different view. He decides he would like to purchase a horse to race, but first he needs a trainer. Charles runs into Tom Smith, an old cowboy who is trying to survive in an ever changing world, and together they start looking for a horse. Tom finds a small horse named Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit is beaten up and very angry at everyone, there seems to be no one who can ride him. Until Tom meets a young man named Red Pollard. Red, just like Seabiscuit, is beaten up and angry at the world. With all the pieces together, the foursome learns and grows together into a powerful force in the racing world.
This is a classical cheering for the underdog story and I loved it. I thought the movie was very well edited and the acting from every character was awesome. I went into the movie thinking it was a "chick flick", but I was completely wrong. Toby Maguire did a wonderful job at being a broken down jockey and boxer who is mad at the world and Jeff Bridge was also very convincing as the new businessman of the American West. I really liked how Chris Cooper portrayed Tom Smith, the old cowboys trying to make it in the new West. He is an amazing actor and I loved his character. A really cool part of the movie is when we get shots of the jockeys talking to each other on the horse during the races. It looks very convincing and I love how the actors have a casual conversation in the middle of the race. I would recommend this movie to everyone young and old.

20 don't miss seabiscuit!!!!
our entire family loved this movie. it's a wonderful story about unexpected accomplishment in the face of adversity and if you love horses, it's a can't miss. also it's based on actual events--a true story-- which makes it all the more enthralling. jeff bridges and toby mcguire are excellent and you'll find yourself rooting for the little horse that could. we watch this film over and over and it never ceaes to entertain.

21 captures brilliantly a true american hero
Seabiscuit is a film that goes beyond any moviegoers expectations; it holds none of the Hollywood glitz and glamour, none of the cheap plot lines that are made for one sole reason- to get the buck.

This is a film that has heart, strength, hope and courage, all borne on the hooves of an unlikely brown colt who defied the expectations of a nation. With only three people who truly believed in him; a father who lost his son, a cowboy who lost his freedom and a jockey who had nowhere else to go, all of whom were brought together to bring out the glory in this broken-down and mis-used horse, this is an inspirational story that will touch anyone's heart, 'horsey' or not.

The race scenes are magnificent. The thrumming of hoofbeats seem to thunder off the screen and into your blood, and you can't help but get caught up in each and every victory, each and every failure. For anyone who has ever seen one of the big races live, you can truly appreciate the excitement and energy that comes with the horses pounding down the backstretch. It only takes less than two minutes to raise a nation to its feet; even when those few precious moments come through on an unlikely horse that had more speed, more heart and more game than any other horse that set foot on track with him.

22 Not Great, but not bad either,
I guess the main complaint I have with this movie is that the little guy comes from behind to win story has been done before in more better written pictures, so here the way they did it seems cliched from start to finish. On the other hand, the performances of the actors raise the movie to a higher level to where you care just enough for the liitle horse and his rider to win that last race and beat the know it alls at their own game. Good for a few showings, but I would not go out of my way to see it again.

23 Worthwhile
Usually I shy away from animal movies as I expect to cry unceasingly viewing the cruelty of man, and the disasterous experiences endured by the animal, be it dog, cat, horse, etc., depicted in them, but I found
Seabiscuit, the movie, a thorough delight! Though Seabiscuit the horse, had an unhappy early life, that part of his existence is only alluded to in the movie, which picks up the life of Seabiscuit when Charles Howard buys him.

Background introduction of the characters is done with an eye to creating empathy in the viewer which carries one through the film with better understanding of motives and actions of those characters. While not completely factual, (i.e., the birthplace of John "Red" Pollard is incorrect and no mention is made of his marriage or wife; Chas. Howard's son died at age 15, not 12; no other vehicle was involved in the fatal accident, he over corrected while driving his dad's truck and tumbled into a steep ravine), on balance it depicts a fairly true rendering of history.

I am not old enough to remember the races but I do remember the name Seabiscuit being talked about long after he was gone. Living close to Santa Anita racetrack at the time there was much discussion about Seabiscuit and his outstanding racing wins. Now, living close to where Seabiscuit is buried and Ridgewood Ranch is located, the movie took on real significance for me.

Even when you know the "little guy" (Seabiscuit) will win the races, the movie still puts you on the edge of your seat. I thought Jeff Bridges did a good job as Charles Howard, unlike many of his usual roles. Tobey McGuire probably was a better Spiderman, but he did a creditable job as jockey "Red" Pollard.

All in all, you can't spend much better time in viewing a movie than in watching this version of "Seabiscuit". Hats off to the author of the book....without it there would not have been this version brought to the screen.

Go see it, rent it, buy it....decide for yourself.

24 A total bore
I thought this film was cheesy. The storyline was choppy in the beginning-and it was very predictable. I think if you like horses, by all means rent it.
I just could not get into it. It wasn't a bad movie-it just wasn't a film that captivated me.

25 A Well-Done and Enjoyable Horse Flick
There are lots of movies that feature horses and dogs and other animals, and sometimes I cringe at them. For me there is a way to do "animal movies" wrong. When animals are portrayed as almost human I think it's not only unrealistic, but it's disrespectful to both the animals and to humans.

I don't doubt that the great race-horses are absolutely incredible athletes. I don't doubt that they like to run, perhaps even love to race. I believe that a racehorse can even be competitive and recognizes that he or she is involved in a footrace and wants to beat those horses running alongside.

After that I believe they want a drink of water and a bag of oats and to have their lustrous coats rubbed down. Seabiscuit gets it right. The three main human characters are revealed gradually: Jeff Bridges' Charles Howard, a likable man who builds a fortune in the fledgling automotive industry and buys himself a racehorse; Chris Cooper's Tom Smith, a horse trainer who understands horses and even moreso, has faith in them; Tobey Maguire as Red Pollard, a jockey whose family has lost it all in the depression, and almost throws away all of his opportunities as well before Howard and Smith and a horse who really likes to run fast rescue him from life's scrap-heap.

These stories are interwoven skillfully and you'd have to be a hard-hearted cynic to not feel the thrill in the climactic race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral.

26 Seabiscuit is a winner
Well since I am a horse person, I might get carried away----

Seabiscuit is and will always be my favorite movie. But let me warn you, you will ether like this movie or you will hate this movie. I came out of the theater liking it.
Seabiscuit is the true story of 3 men that find a broken down racehorse. Charales Howard life has been ruined after a quick accident and a sudden divorce. Tom Smith's world was changed when the cowboys were being replaced with the engines. Red Pollard's life had been ruined when his parents left him and he had been on his own. Together, they find this brokendown racehorse, Seabiscuit and turn him into America's hero. Seabiscuit led the way during the great dipression as he races in some of the best races in America.

Seabiscuit will make you cry for saddness and cheer for happiness! The movie is very moving and will touch your heart. And at the very end, you'll wish that there was more.

Seabiscuit is a must have movie for the horse person and for the most sensitive souls.

And about the PG-13 rating: I believe that the movie is okay for 12 and up. Every single reason it was rated PG-13 is in the first hour.

An story of an All-American horse for the All-American people.

27 AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME...
Im surprized that so many are ripping this film. I found it very enjoyable. I guess you know the story, a beaten down horse comes to life at the races to sybolize new hope and new life for a depression ridden America. Toby McQuire(Spiderman) is a down and out jocky that fullfills his destiny. I liked the cast and the acting. Some great shots of various race tracks and beautiful horses. Some shots were "fudged" somewhat but it come across o.k.
They real fact here is the moral of the movie. Not to give up and keep trying. As the little hourse streaks to the finish you may find yourself tearing up a little... wishing for a simpler time when trust,kindness and faith were not dirty words.

28 DON'T BUY IT!!
After all the hype about this movie, we went out and bought it. BIG MISTAKE! They use several very different horses for Seabiscuit, the acting is only worthy of a nod, and the use of profane language is very prevaliant. One of the main characters divorces his wife, because he feels that a certain tragedy in his life (which was nobody's fault) was her fault. In other words, DON'T BUY IT!!

29 Seabuscuit
A good story about three men and a horse, who all change eachother's lives. Based on a true story, that I knew nothing about before watching the movie, it is set in the early 1900's.
The movie does a good job of making you sympathise with all of the characters, including the horse. The dialogue and acting are both superb.
The only drawback to this movie, is is predictability. Everything here has been done before in several other movies, but Seabiscuit still does it well.
An overall inspiring, and moving story, that kept me interested from start to finish.

30 Seabiscuit's a loser
This movie is stunningly awful. Hollywood took an exciting and terse book and poured five cans of sugar over it. Each component of the film, barring the acting, is terrible. Randy Newman cartoonishly narrates the movie with a ridiculous "period" score and yet, out of nowhere, a track from Moby's over-sampled PLAY appears. The completely misguided voice-over narrative attempts to give the film some historical legitimacy and extra weight. All it does is add gravity to and repeatedly stall the momentum of what should have been a balls out movie. This movie lacks every quality that the horse, as described in the book, had. Its cinematography is grossly opulent, the screenplay is stuffed with self-importance, and the film moves at a snail's pace. One hour into the film and NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. Gary Ross, creator of the equally maudlin and hit-you-in-the-face-with-a-message Pleasantville, keeps the unnecessary history of the three principle characters at the expense of, incredibly, some of the horse races. Worst of all are the horse-racing segments themselves. The races are strangely uninvolving, and knowing that in most shots Tobey Maguire isn't actually on the horse detaches the viewer from the experience. By the end, I started skipping chapters of the DVD and found that doing so made ZERO DIFFERENCE except for the pleasure of knowing I'd kept twenty minutes of my life from being trapped on the back of this lame Seabiscuit. Someone should bar Tobey Maguire and Gary Ross from coming within one hundred feet of each other, because the results of their meetings are excruciating for American movie goers.

31 GREAT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BEST MOVIE EVER!!! EVERYONE HAS TO SEE IT!!!

32 A Conversation With Se–or Droll, God of Saltines.
Se?or Droll, may I ask you if it was the begining and the end of imagination, at the same time? Exactly how many declarative sentences are required to effectively preface a movie? Do you make exceptions for movies about Seabiscuit? Ah.... I didn't think so... so what would you rate this movie? What? only... two and a half stars? What about the John Cleese cameo, doesn't that count for something? Why not? I've heard he's very tall... OH, aren't YOU Se?or grumpypants...we'll see if I ever listen to you again... ah, and toby mcguire ruins jeff bridges too? jesus! will it never end?!?!?!!?!? More Tacky Sentimental Crup? Try Try Try Harder, Again, Again? AGAIN?!?! well gosh, does nothing fail to bore you? I suppose so.

33 Epic sports history
This film has many of the qualities of an epic: exceptional production values & cast that place it in the same class as "Braveheart" or "Gangs Of New York". I see no reason why it would not be appropriate for kids, either. Like "Cold Mountain", another epic, I feel this movie is meant to be enjoyed without too much analysis. I particularly enjoyed Jeff Bridges' performance, having just watched him in a very different role in "Masked and Anonymous" in which he plays a Woodstock-era reporter. His promotional tours on behalf of a Sea Biscuit-War Admiral matchup are effective. Toby McGuire is also quite good as the troubled,hard-luck jockey, blind in one eye, who spends his off hours spinning foreign tall tales with his jockey friends; so is the humorous radio reporter and also real-life jockey Gary Stevens. The movie's first hour is filled with quite a bit of Depression-era history which adds to the bravura of the film, as do the later Mexican segments. It is perhaps historically inaccurate to portray Seabiscuit as an underdog, however, he was equal in size, I have read somewhere, to War Admiral. The movie, however, emphasizes that the trainer takes hard luck cases like Seabiscuit, who was lazy, and turns them into winners. Imdb.com has pointed out the numerous anachronisms in the film; they claim,for example, that a statue of Seabiscuit is clearly visible in the Santa Anita Raceway segments, and that the starting gates used in most of the races are historically inaccurate ; I doubt this would be much concern to the average viewer. One possible trouble with these Hollywood epics this and the others mentioned above is that they are pure escapism, that in all likelihood the eras portrayed in these movies were not so glamorous as they are portrayed, except perhaps for a select few. You can perhaps excuse Nicole Kidman's glamourous portrayal in "Cold Mountain" because her character was from a big city--Charleston.No matter how you cut it, despite humble beginnings and even despite the tragic loss of a son, a successful racehorse owner's life is a privileged one.

34 Although not Flawless, Very well done!
Having read about Seabiscuit and having been a racing fan for a number of years, I thouroughly enjoyed this movie. I especially thought that Gary Stevens did a wonderful acting job. The racing scenes were quite realistic and the special effects were wonderful. I also liked the bonus features as they gave the viewer an even better idea of what racing was really like. The scenes out at the farm were beautiful and the soundtrack delightful.

If you haven't read the book, this is one of the few cases where I think it might be a better idea to see the movie and then read the book. The book is a bit more detailed and throws the reader into the era better than the movie.

This story is a bit of a fairy tale but back in the 20's and 30's, the world of racing was not like it is today. Jockeys had it really hard and some of that is lost in the translation to the screen. Even today, a jockey's life is not easy and I recommend viewing the documentary "Jockey" as a follow up to this to all interested parties.

My few complaints about "Seabiscuit" are as follows: I happened to see a scene at Santa Anita and lo and behold caught a glimpse of the statue of Seabiscuit that is really there today and wasn't when this movie takes place! I guess the average viewer wouldn't know that but it did insult the intelligence of the true fan!

Secondly, jockey's didn't ride in the same position back then as they do today. Today, the stirrups are so short as the jockey appears to sit on his heels. Back then, knees weren't bent as far, they rode more like a cowboy then a jockey. This should've been corrected as we all know that Gary Stevens could probably ride a horse in any position and do it well!

Thirdly, I didn't feel like it was in the 30's. The Sting did a much better job of giving that aura. This movie did not.

All in all, I did love it!

35 A perfect movie
I originally had my doubts about this movie. I saw the previews and really wasn't that interested. But my dad went and saw this movie and said he was going to buy it when it came out on DVD. Getting my father to go see movies is like pulling teeth and he had never bought a movie before in his life. So naturally this got my curiosity up and I went to see Seabiscuit. I would rank this movie with Citizen Kane and A Beautiful Mind. Don't miss it.

36 this movie deserves the hype
most movies don't deserve the hype but this movie was great. I knew nothing about Seabiscuits story and the story of the people he touched but after watching this movie I plan on reading the book. I really liked how part of this movie was kind of like a Ken Burn's film and I thought all the actors did a great job. This is a movie for everyone

37 HORSIN AROUND
Gary Ross' SEABISCUIT is more than just a tale of a horse. The movie is the story of three men who have lost much and gain much more through this determined horse.
Tobey Maguire, excellent as Red Pollard, has lost his family, eyesight in one eye, and eventually he is nearly crippled in a tragic accident. His indomitable spirit, however, is recaptured by riding and loving Seabiscuit.
Jeff Bridges, outstanding as Howard, lost his son to a tragic auto accident, eventually his wife, and a lot of money during the great crash. He marries a lovely girl (played quite well by Elizabeth Banks) and through Red and Seabiscuit, he too regains a life.
The excellent Chris Cooper is a cowboy who has lost his land....we see him touching a barbwired fence which imprisons what was once a cowboy's land. His gentleness and his knowledge of horses catapults him into the spotlight, and he too regains his dignity.
The whole cast and the expert direction of Gary Ross gives SEABISCUIT a dramatic and entertaining lift; William H. Macy as Ticktock, the radio deejay, is fabulous and adds a lot of humor to his role.

38 Second Chance Populism
In Sea Biscuit,the big horses are great to look at, and the photography of racing is exciting, but this tale of second chance Depression Populism falls short. It's the mean Republicans against the noble Democrats during the Great Depression. Poor people look saintly while they're starving, and we know that uncaring rich people that don't want to pay their fair share of taxes cause bad times. There's the mandatory shot of the great Franklin Roosevelt offering a helping hand, so we have a tale that blends My Horse Flicka with 1930's hard times, and we come up with a wishful fantasy history. If only Roosevelt ended the Depression with social programs and government jobs. Let's see. The Depression started approximately in 1930 and Roosevelt and the new Deal were still going strong by Pearl Harbor. Hmmm, if it had not been for a war economy, with Roosevelt's help we would still be in Depression today, but don't let reality get in the way of a feel good movie.

39 Terrific Film
I totally enjoyed this movie. It was well made, well acted and evoked many emotions in me. I am not a large horse racing fan but never-the-less I was captivated by this movie. I would own it!

40 Jesus H. Christ!
Oh my God! Wtf is this? This piece of garbage was nominated for an Oscar, beating Big Fish, Cold Mountain, House of Sand and Fog, Kill Bill, etc., etc.?
This film is so melodramatic, so badly written and so cliched it sucks, really sucks a lot! I don't care if the cinematography was excellent, I want to see something real, something creative, not this soap opera. This is more a Hallmark kind of movie than one to release on theaters; it should have been a "movie of the week", and no harm would have been done.

41 A superfecta
Most films that try to capture the significance of a sporting event from a by-gone era suffer because they fail to attach it to any historical context. (Billy Crystal's "'61*" being a perfect example, and the recent "Miracle" being the exception.) In fact, that's why there have been so few films that try to tackle a great sporting event. This better-than-average movie, SEABISCUIT, wisely spends sufficent time discussing the American psyche during the Great Depression (and wisely employed the sagacious historian David McCullough to narrate this exposition). Once the scene is set, once we know that the nation is desperate for a rags-to-riches hero, the action of this movie can take place appropriately.

As a film, there is a good deal to recommend it. The pacing is swift and sets are very convincing. The cast is for the most part flawless. Tobey Maguire, who gets better with every performance, conveys the pathos of a young man who is forced to be separated from his parent, only to become the wildly erratic jockey and stable-boy, Red Pollard. The always underrated and understated Chris Cooper plays the near-mystical trainer, Tom Smith. Jeff Bridges turns in his standard strong performance as owner Charles Howard. William Macy as fictitious horse racing announcer Tick-Tock provides welcome comic relief. The situations and the interactions among the characters hold this movie together very well.

What prevents me from giving this movie a perfect five is director/writer Gary Ross' really over-the-top moments where he couldn't resist some Hollywood stylizations. For example, when Chris Cooper stands in a particularly run-down stable, he sees (a) Seabiscuit being tortured and abused on one side of him and (b) jockey Red Pollard being picked on and harrassed on the other side of him. In case you didn't make the connection, Ross shows Cooper looking again at Seabiscuit and then at Pollard. You can almost see a cartoonish light bulb going on over his head, "Say! Why doesn't this down-on-his-luck, belligerent jockey ride this down-on-his-luck belligerent horse? Duh!" Later, Seabiscuit, who is being ridden by another jockey, pulls up lame during a race, and nearly breaks down. Miles away, kindred spirit Red Pollard inexplicably feels a terrible sharp pain in his shin! Is this the Corsican brothers? Or do I sense Spielberg behind the scenes going, "Hey, remember how Eliot got ill when E.T. got ill? Might work here!" I dunno. These moments happened a little too often. Not enought for me to dislike the film, but enough to prevent Seabiscuit going wire to wire.

42 Oscar Worthy
This tale of a down-on-his-luck horse and his down-on-his-luck jockey was one of the most moving films of 2003.

I had been somewhat biased against seeing this movie due to the less than stellar marketing - namely TV spots that mostly showed Tobey Maguire in his whinier moments. Eventually, however, I decided that all the positive comments that this film had recieved warrented that I go see it.

I was completely blown away. The film managed to make you completely sympathetic to Seabiscuit as a character without all the cheesy ploys a lesser director would have used to try to humanize the horse.

Chris Cooper as the eccentric but brilliant trainer, Tom Smith, proves yet again his prowess as an actor, previously seen in his role in American Beauty.

Jeff Bridges as Charles Howard is funny, in mourning, strong, and hurt, all at the same time.

And, despite my comments earlier about the whiny moments that are featured in the television commercials, Tobey Maguire as Red Pollard is brilliant. He displays a wonderful combination of tough, yet vulnerable that would seem cliched on a lesser actor. And if it's possible for an actor to have chemistry with a horse, Maguire displayed that with the horse playing Seabiscuit in this film.

The context in which the main drama of the film itself is placed is as much a part of the story as all the races that are shown. Depictions of the Great Depression, from ones made especially for this film to archival footage that is used, add greatly to the film. And the scene in which you see various households around the country listening to the race on their radios, rather than seeing most of the race istself, is one of the most memorable sequences in the film.

Of course, the races manage to be completely compelling and suspenseful, despite the fact that, since this is history, you already know the outcome.

This film was amazing, and if it had been produced in a year that wasn't dominated by the third installment of the Lord of the Rings, it would have been a serious contender for many Oscars.

43 All That Is Good In American Cinema....
Is defined in the film "Seabiscuit". Based upon the bestselling book of the same title by Laura Hillenbrand, this film distills the story of the unlikely Seabiscuit down to its essence and while like most films based on books it glosses over/leaves out certain elements, it is a triumph unto itself. Well acted *I admit frankly it changed my opinion of Tobey Maguire...who was one of the executive producers as well!!*, well scripted, beautifully filmed and with a sublime score from Randy Newman, Seabiscuit delivers on all levels. It is a refreshing reminder of the power and grace of the American cinema, of what Hollywood can do if it chooses to and that film is a form of art to be reckoned with.

44 Jeff Bridges is Outstanding
This is one of the best movies I have ever seen.
The passion and the love expressed is incredible. Photography is also well above par. Good family movie. Makes me want to read the book, which I hear is even better.

45 Epic Film About Horses
I don't usually like horse movies. The Horse In The Gray Flannel Suit was more weak than I could bear. But I feel this is one of the best movies ever. I just acn't believe it lost the Academy Award for Best Picture to Lord Of The Rings. I saw them both and this is like 10,000 times better. I love this movie, and you will, too.

46 An epic movie
It doesnt matter if you are not fan of race horses. The metaphor underlined is so owerpowered that it will never let you indiferent. The film is made of histamine, still is haunting and unforgettable.
A solid script, an adequate sense of realism , and a worthy cast gives a full circle for this movie; the Cinderella film in the nominated ; but let's wait for some years and you will realize how this film will grow over the winner film of this year , because its internal message is eternal.
Chris Cooper steals the show by his amazing performance as the whisperer horse.
A winner film that it will never let you down.

47 Seabiscuit
I'm sure there are enough reviews that will pretty much serve as a guide as to what the movie is about, but I just want to give you a few key cons about the movie itself.(I'm not going to write any pros, because other than the few extremely minor flaws, the movie is perfect.)....

CONS...
*It drags a little bit at some parts

*It's not really a "Look, mommy, a horsey!" movie, which isn't bad, but it's a little graphic for kids younger than I guess 7....They show the somewhat graphic results of club boxing (a bloody black eye), a kid dies in a car accident) But it really just depends on your kid.

48 True to the Spirit of the Book...
Saw the movie first [by the way, the DVD bonus features, "Racing through History" and "Bringing Seabiscuit to the Screen" are excellent, worthy of your attention] and then read the book. The book was a real page-turner, inspite of the fact that most of what's in there is in the movie. Thoroughly enjoyed both renditions of the wonderful story of Seabiscuit. The only complaint I would make about the film is that I didn't feel Tobey Macguire was really right for the role of Red Pollard. The real Red was more physically fragile, yet a great daredevil, with a kind heart and a mischevous nature. Also, he was, I guess you could say, excitingly average. He wasn't a great rider, he was a fairly bad boxer, but the sunshine in his life was Seabiscuit-- his bond with the horse is what lifted him to another plane. Tobey Macguire captures the pain of Red's life very well, and tortured quality of his emotions, the repeated failures both public and private, but there's no way you can make Tobey Maguire a kind of average Everyman. He's young and handsome and vigorous, and a very good actor [no bad thing] but he isn't Red Pollard. Particular kudos for acting go to Chris Cooper, Jeff Bridges, Elizabeth Banks and William H. Macy, who are [as always] wonderful and a pleasure to watch. Even Gary Stevens [George "Iceman" Woolf], who is actually a top jockey in real life, does a highly creditable job in his first trip in front of a camera. He even had me going for a while [is he an actor or isn't he?] and I'm not easy to fool. The fact that acting isn't his day job in no way detracts from the film....if anything, it lends a verisimilitude that would have been a bit lacking without a touch of "the real deal." All in all, well worth your time, and this one's a keeper.

49 Excellent motion picture
Horse lovers will enjoy this movie easily. Movie lovers should also.
It is a drama that is very magical which keeps the viewer's eyes and brain "in" this motion picture.
I didn't expect this picture to be this good. surprise, surprise!

50 Seabiscuit Races to History Also on Film
Already one of the best horse-racing epics in film history (for a change, see "A Day At The Races" comedy by Marx Brothers), "Seabiscuit" does not break any new ground, but is a solid, flawlessly produced and at times completely enthralling movie, adapted from a successful book.

The thrills come (as one might well guess) from the races the small underdog horse named Seabiscuit won in the 1930's, giving the Depression-stricken Americans something to cheer about. The movie needs a while to really get started and thus is just a little bit long, but eventually the overall craft sported by filmmakers redeems itself as truly impressive; no wonder the movie got seven Oscar nominations, although it converted none.

Rock-solid male cast is of a real class -- Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Tobey Maguire and William H. Macy shining in a minor role -- while Elizabeth Banks (as Bridges' second wife Marcela Howard) gets a sound amount of coverage in a film with few female roles. The movie wisely eschews some cliches -- for example, after the jockey Red Pollard (Maguire) is forced to say good-bye to his parents as a youth we never see the mom and dad again, although this might ensure a real tear-jerking reunion. Instead, "Seabiscuit" is from the beginning to end an assured, safe and almost guaranteed entertainment for all.

51 Great story; great film
I didn't know the Seabiscuit story before watching this film. I didn't know it was an underdog story. All I knew going in was that it was a horse movie. I didn't expect to like it and it ended up being one of my favorite films of 2003.

The movie is a great story, but I enjoyed it how it was told as much as what was told. I enjoyed the melding of stories about a too-tall Depression Era jockey who was forced to leave his family, a horse doctor with unconventional methods, and an owner. We see how they blend as not just a business partnership, but as family.

We watch men and horses overcome physical and emotional hurdles to beat the unbeatable.

A great feel good movie.

52 Nice Horse Movie
An enjoyable movie based on fact. A not so well bred horse steals the hearts of Depression hit America by simply winning.
The only doubt I have is that Phar Lap also had a similar life in Australasia and a movie made about that horse was a huge hit twenty years ago.
A well presented DVD surprisingly filled with alot of information on the movie and the horse Seabiscuit.

53 Everyone Loves a Longshot
Exceptional acting, breathtaking scenery and an inspirational story. How could one go wrong.

To be honest, I was leary of trying this movie. Normailly, these cliche 'underdog' movies don't sit well with me. I'm also not a big fan of sports movies. As a huge sports fan I feel like most movies don't do justice to the 'real thing.' Reviewers promised that since the film was based on a true story it would not seem as sappy or predictable,but I am always suspicious of 'based on a true story' anyway.

In the end the movie did not disappoint. The first hour seemed a little slow, and frankly I was not sure I would make it through. I'm glad I did. Not really sure if too much could have been removed. Part of the appeal at the end is the kinship you feel with the characters due to your history together. Some would say it was worth it, but it seems unfortunate to me that somtimes we have to justify the beginning of a movie by saying the ending is better. ? Truth is, though -- this is one of those movies! If you get bored, just joke about it like we did and keep watching.

54 LOVED IT!
I stumbled on this dvd while looking for another movie. What an incredible story & movie. I watched it twice in one weekend & have just purchased a copy so I can watch it again. I'm not into "horse" movies, but the story and the characters just touched your heart. ONE OF MY FAVORITE ALL TIME MOVIES!! I hope to now read the book. If you're tired of all the phony Hollywood junk ... check out this movie for the real thing.

55 Outstanding Masterpiece
This movie is a labour of love for the Director, as he said himself in the commentary that come together with DVD version. There are times when we watch movies that are based upon true events and yet, the context of them are warped beyond recognition. For this instance, the Director opts to remain faithful to Hillebrand, the lady who lived & breathed the subject, Seabiscuit for most of her adult life. It's probably a David versus Goliath movie, of a talented thoroughbred that was overlooked & was mistreated. The jockey in the form of Macguire's character, Red was leading a parellel life. Somehow or rather, their lives intertwined with Howard (played magnificently by Jeff Bridges), the owner of Seabiscuit who was forever looking towards the future. Ironically, it's the future that tragically took away his beloved son's life. Anyhow, as Red narrated in the movie, people in the Depression believed that Seabiscuit healed them and that it drown their sorrow somehow. However, he thought that people healed themselves when they started to believe in their own abilities. Definitely a triumph of the human spirit movie. A DVD to be treasured with extras such as the original racing footage versus the movie footage, the making of the movies, the commentary by the Director. By the way, this movie is a definite all rounder. Superb performances by all cast. A must-see movie of the year. If this movie proclaimed to make President Bush cried, it must have done something right.

56 Great Uplifting Drama
Toby Maguire and Jeff Bridges star in this factually based picture about a financially struggling racehorse owner and unknown jockey who battle all odds with and old neglected nag and end up winning the Kentucky Derby. I don't mind giving that tidbit away because the ending is a plain as can be from about 2 minutes into the movie. However, that's where the complaints end - it's well acted, very enjoyable, and impressively filmed in all senses, and although it won't I'm sure set anyone's world ablaze, it is one of the better offerings on DVD of late. The widescreen is a must for the racing scenes, and one or two nice extra's on the DVD, outweigh the VHS option. Enjoy

57 Way overrated.
I'll break it down for ya. The first hour of this movie is disjointed, tedious, and dull. The second half is basically a tired "underdog wins against all odds" type of story. You've seen this same scenario in dozens of other superior films. Except here, it's sappy, predictable and maudlin.

I'm not horsing around when I suggest skipping it.

58 Story that stirred my heartstrings without being maudlin
Once and a while a film comes along that has it all - great story, fine acting, and the kind of directing that knows exactly how to stir my heartstrings without being maudlin. I'm also impressed that this is a true story, based on the best selling book by Laura Hillenbrand.

The setting is depression-era America and the film includes all those little details that make that dark period of time come alive. The people needed a hero. And it came to them in the form of a racehorse with all the odds against him. Seabiscuit was too small and not well trained when Charles Howard, a self-made rich man recovering from a personal tragedy, took him on. Jeff Bridges is cast in this role and keeps his performance controlled and understated. Chris Cooper is outstanding in the role of Tom Smith, the trainer who takes care of horses that others would have discarded. "You don't throw away a whole life just 'cause he's banged up a little," is one of his key lines. And it resonates throughout the entire film. Tobey Maguire is wonderful as the jockey, Red Polard. He also fights all odds to get in the game and stay there. Each one of these men is damaged in his own way, just like Seabiscuit. But together they create a champion.

I loved the film and I also loved the extras on the DVD. I enjoyed seeing the writer and director describe their many challenges. I was fascinated as to how they created the close-ups during the exciting races. And I was particularly interested in the old newsreel footage.

Don't miss this DVD. There's something in it for everyone. It's an inspiration for all and the feel-good feeling lasts a long time. Seabiscuit gets one of my highest recommendations. Don't miss it!
Once and a while a film comes along that has it all - great story, fine acting, and the kind of directing that knows exactly how to stir my heartstrings without being maudlin. I'm also impressed that this is a true story, based on the best selling book by Laura Hillenbrand.

Don't miss this DVD. There's something in it for everyone. It's an inspiration for all and the feel-good feeling lasts a long time. Seabiscuit gets one of my highest recommendations. Don't miss it!

59 Overhyped
I'm sorry, but I just didn't get this movie.

The story was not rendered in a compelling way, and left me yawning.

Lots of people seem to like it, but my advice is to think twice before you bet on this long shot...

60 What the hell.......
This movie was so lame I couldn't even get past the first hour. It had no story and the movie was just plan dumb. What were the developers or even the writers thinking? How could anyone like this dumba$$ movie? Damn I can't even begin to think how bad this movie is.

61 inspiring, but not memorable
it's the "little engine that could" movie. well acted, well shot (the scenes with the races were amazing), and takes you right into the action. they actaully made a horse racing movie enjoyable. perhaps the best horse racing movie ever (eh...by default, because i cant think of another).

the downside: not that memorable. doesnt really stick with you after you leave. but well worth the watch.

62 one of the best movies
This movie is an aboslute favorate of mine. The actors in it are all fantastic, and I like the way the screenwriter left out some parts. I have read the book, and it is fantastic, but there are some parts in it that I skipped because they were so boring, and the screen writer left out those exact parts. I recommend this to everyone.

63 Terrible
I hate this movie! It was so poorly put together, you could
push a whole heard of elephants through it, I'm glad I only
rented it instead of wasting money on this piece of garbage.

64 Okay, I was impressed - in general
My husband and I rented this movie last week. In general we loved it.

To be honest, no one told us it was going to be funny as well as entertaining and historically accurate.

The film angles were wonderful - with the exception of the conversations which took place on horseback. These looked contrived on plastic horses with actors heaving on top of the machines.

I was unaware of the true life of a jockey in this time. The anger, the weight control, and the dedication to the point of horrific actions and demands on body and soul.

The film was beautifully edited, with important segments left to the imagination - which is so often overdone in current movies.

See it - you'll like it - in general.

65 Once a Loser, Now a Legend; Horse That Gave Hope to People
There are two things that I can recommend about "Seabiscuit": superb acting from the stars including Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and William H Macy -- and the realistic horse race scenes. The story is too long (one too many episode), the development is too conventional, but the film has managed to give us the message about life -- you have a second chance of life. For that only, "Seabiscuit" deserves viewing.

The story is based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand, who unearthed a once forgotten horse "Seabiscuit," whose legend gave the hope to live in the Depression era in America. The horse was not big; it did not belong to the prestigious family line of any famouse horses; and it won the big game against the odds. How could people, living in the hard times, miss the heroic figure?

And also enters the jokey with no name, Johnny "Red" Pollard (Maguire), who lost sight in one eye, and struggling in the local race where no rule is the rule (see the incredible "race" in which you can do anything). But when "Red" was found by a kind-hearted employer Charles Howard (Bridges), and the veteran trainer Tom Smith (Cooper) joins the team, everything is in a fit place to make an American legend. Yes, this is a story that could happen only in America, and I mean that is a great thing.

The actors are, as I said, all great. Tobey Maguire is in a fit form to play the jockey, who must have underwent a hard training. Underrated Jeff Bridges never pushes himself forward (that's why his four-time Oscar nonimations, and no win), but in this case, appropriately so, for he plays the ever-understanding psuedo-father figure to the boy, reckless "Red." And you get Chris Cooper, cameleon actor of new generation, whose presence as the tough-and-rough veteran should be praised for giving the touch of humainity to the story.

The direction by Gary Ross is far from natural. I am afraid. The film goes more than 140 minutes (which is too long), and his way of handling of some scenes should be called 'tampering' instead of editing (I remember he was behind the camera in "Pleasantville" which was too artificial to me). Still, you will get the energy and good, old, straightforwardness when William H Macy appears as radio announcer. His racy turn here is just a joy to see.

All in all, "Seabiscuit" is a successful film, especially when we know it is based on the truth -- the truth upgraded by excellent acting of the talented actors, and the great production designs re-producing America in the 1930s. And do not miss the hair-raising horse race scenes, which enables you to share the viewpoints of the jockeys. Now that is precious, indeed.

66 THE very best in horse movies!
It is rare that a horse movie is exciting, touching, AND believable. Moreover, it is rare that a movie based on a true story fully captures that story. But "Seabiscuit" accomplishes it all. As a horseback rider and racing fan myself, I tend to be extremely critical of horse movies, but this one takes all five stars and change. I've yet to see a better horse movie. Set in Depression-era America, "Seabiscuit" is the true story (adapted from the best-selling biography by Laura Hillenbrand) of an underdog racehorse by the same name. Misunderstood and mistreated as a colt, the plain, unimpressive little horse with imperfect conformation has a career that's going nowhere.

Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) is a shattered man. His wife leaves him after their son dies in an automobile accident, and he closes down his car racing outfit and heads to the border towns of Mexico looking for escape. Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), a cowboy who finds the Wild West vanishing under his feet, is left as a drifter without much of a future. Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) was left as a boy by his family, who hoped he might do better for himself as a racehorse jockey. He earns a little extra money as a fighter, but a severe blow to the eye leaves him half-blind. Ultimately, these three downtrodden men manage to find each other, and Seabiscuit, and embark on the journey of a lifetime.

With Howard as owner, Smith as trainer, and Pollard as jockey, Seabiscuit manages to win race after race on the West coast. It seems they have it made. But then Smith points out that Seabiscuit has yet to race against War Admiral (son of the great Man O'War), the Triple Crown winner who many believe to be the greatest racehorse in America. Howard takes it upon himself to arrange a match race between the two horses, but War Admiral's owner is uncooperative, viewing Seabiscuit as an over-hyped nag that isn't worth the time. Seabiscuit's team eventually wins out and a match is arranged. Shortly before the race, however, Pollard breaks a leg in a freak accident, leaving him out of commission, perhaps permanently. Legendary jockey George Woolf (Gary Stevens) is called in to ride Seabiscuit in the match (I won't reveal the outcome, though perhaps you can guess). In a later race, Seabiscuit injures a tendon, and it looks as if he'll never race again. At this point Seabiscuit and Pollard, both battered and broken, find kinship in each other. Over time, they both begin to mend. Could the two possibly end up making the comeback of a lifetime?

I'll warn those of you who have read Hillenbrand's book that the movie does not strictly adhere to it. It would be impossible to fit all of a 400+ page book into a 2-hour movie, so much is left out. But the movie is still satisfying in its own right. In fact, you might say it has a happier ending, as the movie cuts out at the height of Seabiscuit's career, whereas the book continues on to the deaths of all its main characters. But the movie still manages to capture the basic essence of the book. I loved the fact that the story is interspersed with slideshows of real photographs, where a narrator provides historical background information. It makes the movie feel slightly more like a documentary, but not overly much so. The cinematography itself it beautiful, as is every location at which parts of the movie were filmed.

Every single actor turned in a superb performance. I was apprehensive about seeing "Spider Man" as a racehorse jockey, but Tobey Maguire quickly banished all my doubts. Not only does he come across as a convincing horseman, but he gives his character a wonderful depth of emotion and sensitivity. Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper are equally impressive in their roles. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise for me was seeing Gary Stevens, a man I've long admired as a real racehorse jockey (he rode such great horses as Thunder Gulch, Point Given, Winning Colors, Serena's Song, and Silver Charm), put out a very convincing performance as George Woolf. He was quite impressive, considering that "Seabiscuit" is his first and only movie. William H. Macy adds humor to the story as "Tick-Tock" McGlaughlin, an eccentric radio host and the only non-historical character in the film.

Though I think any horse person will find "Seabiscuit" to be a wonderful film, I recognize the fact that it may not hold appeal for all audiences. Someone with no interest in horses may very well find the movie boring, as horses are undeniably the focal point here. But by the same token, my father isn't a horse person at all, and he loved the film. So if horses really aren't your thing, use your own best judgement in deciding whether or not to see the movie. But if you are a horse person, I would recommend this film most highly. Unlike many horse movies, it is accurate and believable (much thanks to real-life jockey Chris McCarron, who helped ensure the realism of the race scenes). It is also very touching, even tear-jerking at times, yet doesn't venture into the superfluous.

The DVD has several great bonus features. "Seabiscuit: Racing Through History" provides additional information on Seabiscuit's career, including interviews with director Gary Ross and writer Laura Hillenbrand. "Bringing the Legend to Life: The Making of Seabiscuit" is a good making-of featurette, revealing much of the work that went into this production. "Anatomy of a Movie Moment" shares more of the film-making process. "Photo Finish: Jeff Bridges' On the Set Photographs" is a nice gallery of pictures taken during production. Finally, there is commentary by Gary Ross and filmmaker Steven Soderbergh. If you love horses, this DVD is more than worth the money. It will remain a cherished part of my collection for years to come.

67 Winners
The movie was so awesome. It was very exiting to watch and hope Seabiscuit won the races and the horse becoming limp and Red Pollard's damaged leg but still coming out in the top of the last race. You could succeed after anything if you try with all your heart and really want to do what you are set out to do. ****

68 Slow, Pretty, Uneven
Seabiscuit is the story of three early-20th-century men and the horse that brings them and the country together. It is based upon Laura Hillenbrand's bestselling book by the same name. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and Tobey Maguire. The movie seems to aspire to being a "nice" movie: one told with a touch of nostalgia, a happy ending, and a slow hand; one with the feel of documentaries and biopics. For me it just tried too hard. It is beautifully filmed and well acted but unevenly scripted and a bit dull.

Details of my opinion: VISUALS are definitely highlight of the movie. Watching this on a big screen was a feast for the eyes. Scenery is beautifully captured and colors are crisp and vibrant throughout. Spectacular cinematography. The STORY and its message are uplifting and the final scenes are well told, but much of the rest of the movie was a disappointment. The ACTING is fine (as one might expect from the individuals involved), but the script is cliche-riddled and unsophisticated; as a result the actors' performances never feel special. The narrative encompasses 40 years' time and is interrupted from time to time by HISTORICAL CONTEXT pieces. These were also wonderfully clear images; I felt, however, that the movie was trying too hard to blend big-story telling with documentary filmmaking style.

69 If Rocky Balboa were a horse....
...i suppose his name would be Seabiscuit. I think the thing that makes this movie work is that it is based on a true story. It's a feel-good movie that really has some shining moments.

Honestly, I have little interest in horse-racing and that's why I don't think much of this film. Tobey Maguire is fine but the movie is a little forgettable, in my opinion.

70 uplifting horse film with terrific dvd features
This film is the true story of a little horse that inspired Depression-era Americans. Ridden by a half-blind jockey, trained by an eccentric horse-whisperer type and owned by a marketing tycoon still in anguish over the death of his child, Seabiscuit brought these misfits together as he won race after race and challenged the nation's top horses. Based on Laura Hillenbrand's bestseller, the film is suitable for the whole family (though there are some fistfights and the off-screen death of a child). This is an inspirational film by a fine writer-director, Gary Ross, who seems to come out with a terrific project every 5 years or so -- Big, Dave, Pleasantville and now Seabiscuit. The cast is terrific -- Tobey Maguire, Chris Cooper, Jeff Bridges, William H. Macy, Elizabeth Banks and jockey Gary Steven in his film debut.

DVD extras are great: a commentary track with writer-director Ross and Steven Soderbergh; a making-of featurette (15 min); on-set photos by Bridges; a featurette about the real Seabiscuit, featuring author Laura Hillenbrand (15 min); the featurette "Anatomy of a Movie Moment; a Buick featurette (3 min); a soundtrack spot; bios and filmographies; very interesting production notes; dvd-rom features for Windows users; and, an unfortunate recent trend, a Mastercard spot.

The film can be heard in English, and subtitled in English, French or Spanish.

71 All time classic
This movie really captures the moment and your attention as well. They really tell you what it was like when the first car was invented and how hard it was just to make it in the world of a family life. This movie is also a wonderful peace of history and a great way to motivate anyone that thinks they can not achieve. I have added this to my collection and would recommend it to anyone else looking for a really good movie.

72 What a movie!!!!!
A sure classic. One you can watch over and over again. A must own.

73 Seabiscuit Is The Greatest Movie Ever!
When I first saw the previews I knew I had to see the movie. I was not disappointed. In fact it was the greatest movie I had ever seen. Period pieces such as the Great Depression is not an easy thing to capture. The filmakers did an awesome job with this film about a racehorse who may have been smaller than most thoroughbreds but still had a strong heart. Seabiscuit was the shining light during an era of sadness for many. This little horse became a hero in history.

Tobey Maguire did a terrific job in the role of Red Pollard who may have been blind in one eye but he still did not let that stop him from competing. When paired with Seabiscuit the two helped each other through their limitations and the two shared a very special bond. Man and horse became not just a team but friends as well. In my mind Maguire should have gotten an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

Jeff Bridges also did a great job as Charles Howard who accepted Pollard's and Seabiscuit's limitations and believed in them. Bridges showed Howard as a compassionate man with a kind heart despite some of the setbacks in his own life.

Chris Cooper also did a good job as Tom Smith the horse whispering trainer who was a bit tough but also had a great belief in Seabiscuit. Smith was unconventional when it came to horses. He didn't believe in lives being thrown away and had a gentle way with horses which Cooper seemed to show.

Though he wasn't in every seen, Gary Stevens also did a fine job as Pollard's friend and fellow jockey George "The Iceman" Woolf. For those who don't know, Gary Stevens is a real jockey. In fact a Hall of Fame award winning Jockey. Stevens was probably the only one who really could play Woolf so it was a smart move to have him in the film.

Lastly, we get to William H. Macy who played the outlandish, comical radio host "Tick-Tock" McGlaughlin. Though he was the only character in the movie who was not based on a real person, director Gary Ross definately wrote this with role with Macy in mind and it was a good fit.

In my mind, the Oscar for Best Picture should have gone to Seabiscuit and it should have gotten wins in the other categories it was nominated in. Forget Lord Of The Rings: ROTK! Seabiscuit was an even greater movie and a must buy. I bought the DVD and it was money well spent. Definately this was a 5 star film with a great cast, sound, costumes, and all the other ingredients that went into it. It beats all the other films out there by a great many furlongs!

74 The Ultimate Feel-Good Movie And A Real Winner!
Three men and a horse, all born with incredible talent and Heart, (with a capital "H"), and all hit by life's hard knocks, prove that indomitable spirit can overcome crippling odds. Real winners may just be losers in disguise, looking for the opportunity to overcome adversity and show their true colors.

This actual story of the race horse Seabiscuit and his owner, trainer, and jockey is set against the background of the Great Depression. It is the ultimate feel-good movie. Film writer-director Gary Ross effectively portrays how the actual Seabiscuit and his saga had a galvanizing effect on America's "everyman," hit hard by hard times, as the down-and-out racehorse became the hopeful parable for their lives. Many of the film's scenes are juxtaposed with black and white still shots taken during the depression era, beautifully illustrating the period, and the tone of the characters. The use of a narrator also lends an air of documentary authenticity to many of the newsreel-like sequences.

The cast is excellent. Toby Maguire shines, as usual, in his role as the bruised but not beaten jockey "Red" Pollard. Tom Smith is wonderful as Seabiscuit's enigmatic horse trainer. Mr. Smith's lines may be few but he lends an extraordinary presence to the role and the movie. Wealthy and successful businessman Charles Howard, played by Jeff Bridges, is a man with vision who pulled himself up by his bootstraps only to be thrown by personal tragedy. He bought a loosing horse on the word of a down-and-out trainer and hired a half blind jockey to race him. These characters become inextricably bound as, together, they undergo the journey of a lifetime. William H. Macy, as the fast talkin' radio tipster, and his blonde female sidekick, are show stealers.

Seabiscuit somehow manages to avoid lapses into corniness, and against all odds, an equestrian film about an undersized, bad-tempered horse goes for the money and competes successfully with some of the years best films. Highly recommended!

JANA

75 A Serious Movie That Inspires
This movie takes place during the depression, in fact the first hour is just that, depressing. That is the wonder of the movie though. You go from a feeling of complete and utter loss and hopelessness to one of triumph and hope.

Maguire does performs well as Seabiscuits Jockey, he is also one of the films producers.

The movie starts off slowly at first, with a before and after effect of the great depression, throwing people lives into chaos and dispair so very quickly. Harris, played by Bridges, does not lose so much his wealth, yet other tragedy strikes him.
From the start he appears as a can-do person, who sees the opportunities in everything and feels he can help others make it as well. That is the story of the movie opportunity and second chances.

Seabiscuit is a wonderful movie for a message of hope. You feel like a winner. Is it too late to take a chance to do great things in life? There is a second chance.

Look for the wonderful irony of the movie as well. There are so many scenes where you can see it.

The movie will take you to Mexico, Santa Barbara, Saratoga Springs, NY and Santa Anita. This movie is true to life if you know anything about Santa Anita Race Track.

The only thing that may challenge some is the language. Did people in those circles really talk that way then? I really wonder, this movie can be for the whole family, but too many places Maguire feels he has to use some form of profanity. Some families therefore should see if there is a more family friendly version for the kids.

76 This movie was a pile of horse...
This was one of the worst movies that I have ever had to suffer through. All of the performances were over done, (with the exception of Chris Cooper, who is always top notch) and the entire movie was cheesier than consession stand nachos. I am completely confused at all of the accolades that this movie has received. The true story had much more depth; they barely touched on the horse trainers alcohol problem, nor the battle with eating disorders/substance abuse that Tobey Maguire's character went through. The glossed-over finished product struggled so hard to be "heart-warming" in every scene that the potentially touching story lost all validity. Basically, it sucked.

77 Total false advertising
There wasn't a sea or a biscuit anywhere in this movie!

78 Not your usual horse story
Although I like horses, and have been to a few local horse races, neither are subjects I'm particularly exited about.

As a voracious reader, the book held little or no interest to me. But my husband saw the movie when he was out of town, loved it and highly recommended it.

I first bought the book and had barely started it - but was enjoying it - when the opportunity came for me to buy the DVD. We are in our mid 50s and are not ones to watch TV late at night. We are also not huge movie-goers or renters. We put this in at midnight and I was completely enthralled from the beginning. Not only that but afterwards we were wanted to know more and watched several of the bonus features, finally giving up and going to bed at 3:00 AM.

This was such an enjoyable movie - one about second chances not only for a broken horse but for three broken men. I highly recommend this movie especially for those who are tired of the sex and violence which sweem to run rampant in many films today. I am now off to finish reading the book.

79 4-Legged Excitement!
I'm not big on horse movies.

I'm not big on it's-obvious-the-guy-will-win-the-race kinds of movies.

I'm not thrilled with Tobey Maguire (although Spider-Man was the best superhero movie, overall, ever made in spite of him and in some SMALL way because of him).

This won me over anyway. It's a feel-good story. You'll read all kinds of other things and reviews about it, but it's a fell-good story in the end and it does that adequately... no very well.

80 A Winner
"Seabiscuit" is a movie that could be so easy to dismiss as one of those schmaltzy weepies about triumph over adversity that ultimately operates on being both over-emotional and manipulative. Make no mistake "Seabiscuit" does deal with emotional events. But, as written and directed by Gary Ross, it does it with a taste and a depth that allow the film finally to reach the level of complexity we tend to expect of novels rather than movies.

"Seabiscuit" is about one underdog race-horse, three men wounded in different ways, and a nation in a period with little hope. I realise that that sentence makes it sound awful, and even sounds like an advertising blurb in itself, but trust me, it's not awful.

The men are jockey Johnny "Red" Pollard (Tobey Maguire) given up for adoption by his parents during the Depression, working as a jockey and prize fighter to make a living and blinded in one eye; Charles Howard (played by Jeff Bridges), a millionaire car dealer who has lost his son and his wife; and Tom Smith (the usually terrific Chris Cooper), a cowboy who is trying to come to terms with the end of the freedom of the old West.

Their lives are all galvanised by their relationship with Seabiscuit, a short and knock-kneed horse that had been rejected as unsuitable for racing, beaten up, and - almost - had its spirit broken.

The millionaire buys "Seabiscuit" the ex-cowboy trains him, the ex -prize-fighter rides him.

As if Red Pollard's blindness in one eye wasn't enough he even - at one point - suffers multiple breaks in one leg that may mean he can't walk again, let alone ride. Seabiscuit too suffers an injury that may mean he will never race again. And yet both do get past these obstacles. Partly because of their struggle to overcome their wounds and backgrounds - the whole team become heroes for a nation that needs to see an underdog win.

It's one strength of the film that it doesn't suggest this is just an accident. Owner Charles Howard certainly seems to know the value of public relations, and does deliberately cast his horse and his team in the light that he knows the public will value.

Director and writer Gary Ross formerly wrote and directed "Pleasantville" and also wrote "Dave", and "Big". All of those films struck me as interesting, and I'd say that most of them are complex and insightful. In "Seabiscuit" he manages to give considerable depth to the stories of all these men. He also intercuts them with historical documentary sequences, which emphasises the social and sociological background against which events were taking place. These people's lives are intimately connected with the historical sweep of events, and making those connections clear adds a lot of depth and resonance to the story. The script is based on Laura Hillenbrand's non-fiction book of the same name.

Apart from the actors in the main roles, William H. Macy as radio sports commentator "Tick-Tock" McGlaughlin also gives a wildly funny performance, turning a minor character into a highly memorable one. John Schwartzman's cinematography is lush and romantic, well suited to the story.

In case you're worried that this is basically going to be Lassie with horses, one of the most effective things about it is Gary Ross's restraint. The scenes that could have been mawkish are underplayed and handled with considerable tact. Interestingly, one of the "rules" most commonly explained to screenwriters is that you shouldn't write dialogue that's too "on the nose". The funny thing about "Seabiscuit" is that practically the last line of the movie is VERY on the nose, very blatant, and yet it seems to tie the whole thing together perfectly.

81 Seabiscuit Rides Into The Winner's Circle
Seabiscuit was one of the greatest horses in horse racing history. His racing captivated America during the Great Depression, giving them an underdog they could identify with and root for. Gary Ross' adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's bestseller does an excellent job of capturing the Americana set forth in the book. The problem is that it is impossible to get into the details of Seabiscuit himself, the protagonists and the life surrounding the horse racing industry like the book in a 2 and 20-minute movie. One is probably better off at seeing the movie first and then reading the book then the other way around, as there are big gaps between what happened in the book and what is shown on the screen. That being said, Seabiscuit is still immensely entertaining. The race scenes are exhilarating and they take you right on the horse's back. The acting is also superb. Tobey Maguire continues his rise as one the best young actors in movies. Mr. Maguire has a strong likeability and one can't help but rooting for his character, jockey Red Pollard, to overcome his devastating injury. Jeff Bridges is the master of the understated performance and gives yet another excellent turn as auto magnet Charles Howard. William H. Macy is hilarious as he provides comic relief as the track reporter and announcer Tick Tock McGlaughlin. While Chris Cooper is fine as trainer Tom Smith, but where as his character was a major player in the book, he seems regulated to a secondary role in the film. Elizabeth Banks is luminous as Howard's second wife, Marcella, but she too suffers the fate of Mr. Cooper. Two of the strongest performances are from off-screen. David McCullough's narration adds depth and gravitas and Randy Newman's score is wistful and inspiring and continues to mark him as the best movie score composer. Seabiscuit is the perfect family film that will appeal to all ages.

82 loved it, actors were good
i love horses and the excitement of a great horse race, and this movie was pretty good at making me move to the edge of my seat. some of the romance scenes were goofy, and jeff bridges character annoyed me at times, but all in all this is a great movie.

83 Excellent Cinematic Interpretation
Verbatim from book to film is rarely a smooth or desireable result, and I'm glad the director didn't go that way in his approach. I thought the film was beautiful in its cinematography. That's crucial, because it carries the weight of what dialogue or narrative cannot be put in. I also found that although the horse was the central character, the people around him were much a part of Seabscuit's persona in the movie. He was as beat up as the people living through the Depression. He personified their indomitable spirit and the fire in their eyes and their souls that would not accept defeat. I think this is the kind of movie that you have to watch more than once, because you'll realize many things, but dwell on just one for that one viewing. The next viewing, you come back to that other realization, and so on. That's why there are certain movies we like to watch multiple times. And when there is that movie you want to watch more than once, it's worth getting on DVD. This is one of them.

84 At first it was boring...
But after the first 20-30 minutes, it began to pick up from there.

At first, this movie felt more like a documentary, due to the cutscenes where an almost monotone narrator talks about important dates in early 1900's U.S. history. Some of the cutscenes seem to have no relation to the movie whatsoever, though, and could distract people from the actual storyline.

However, everything began to pick up when the three different characters' storylines that we follow became more and more tragic until they are united by the fourth character, Seabiscuit - the small and nearly broken down horse with a sad early life. The thing that bothered me about the sudden addition of Seabiscuit was that the movie explained his life in a few short minutes, instead of having it be a continual storyline from the beginning of the movie, like the automotive salesperson, the horse trainer, and the jockey.

The storyline continues with more challenges and more tragedy for all the characters, that I was left cheering for all of them to succeed in their fight against their misfortune. This movie develops all of the main characters very well so it was easy to sympathize with them.

Also, the races were more exciting than I anticipated, leaving me and my fellow viewer at the edge of our seats, cheering Seabiscuit on. This movie also left a nice message about how it's not all about the race and winning, but how the characters were all brought together and changed their life around - for the better.

This movie delivers its more than two-hour performance very well and wraps up everything nicely. Highly recommended.

85 All and all a winner
Great movie, highly recommend.

The only caution that I can think of is language. It was much stronger than I had anticipated, and would caution you if that is something you have trouble with, beware.

Make sure to watch the historical documentary in the DVD extras section.

86 Superb Movie
A superb movie
A true classic already.
This movie really brings to life this great story of Seabiscuit.
All characters are great.
For once, a great movie with a superb storyline

87 The hoss was very realistic, but the gloss went over the top
SEABISCUIT was a very good "movie-movie" with an underdog theme and I'd recommend it to anyone, but it wasn't without flaws. I don't want to seem to "dwell on the flaws" -- this IS a four-star review, after all -- but this review will highlight and coalesce some of the less admirable aspects of this expensive, high-production movie because so many others have sung its praise so commendably. This isn't a pan--just one consumer's viewpoint who has seen the film both in theater and twice on DVD with bells and whistles.

The acting was noteworthy. At the least, convincing (Jeff Bridges as the title horse's owner, Tobey Maguire as Seabiscuit's gentle jockey); and at best illuminating: Annette Bening as the Bridges' character's first wife, who had to carry a lot of the emotional baggage left over from a highly truncated first third of Laura Hillenbrand's bestselling nonfiction book, on which this movie is based.

Leaving out of the movie such not-so-minor historical details as the San Francisco earthquake (which proved the validity of the panic-proof Horseless Carriage and made a millionaire out of Jeff Bridges' character, Buick franchisor for the West Coast), SEABISCUIT as briskly as possible establishes the rags-to-riches biography of the man who made his fortune selling cars--and then, ironically and much like Henry Ford, developed a taste for the idyllic and bought himself a huge estate and became a gentleman squire of horseflesh.

It isn't easy to do in a standard-length movie what Hillenbrand's massive book did, which is underline the synergy that took place when owner, trainer and jockey all collaborated to rehabilitate the "impossible" Seabiscuit, a "runty" horse, built all wrong and raised to bring out his violent temper. (Seabiscuit was Man O'War's grandson, but on the wrong side of the bloodline.) So now, the truly interesting phase begins, the underdog (underhorse?) saga--think of Seabiscuit as a kind of equine Rocky.

Unfortunately, the movie has to haul out the ol' Hollywood Duck Tape to bring the three guys together convincingly, in essence putting Tobey Maguire's character through seven or eight hellish years of surviving the Depression by racing, roundabouting, and fighting bare-knuckles....but then to backtrack in calendar years, creating a sci-fi type "time anomaly." [I can almost hear some stereotype of a 1940s studio exec hollering "Where's the love interest?"]

To accommodate the romantic angle and introduce the owner's courtship of his second wife, and to provide background info for the Depression (for which I am grateful), some number-cooking ensued. At the point where jockey and owner meet, the plot from the jockey's point of view should have landed him in about 1937, but the movie tells us it's 1934. Which it must be, according to the conventions of Hollywood Logic; what we're told is true, but the time anomaly results from the script's (or more accurately, the abbreviation of script's) painting the plot in a corner, logic-wise. In all fairness, Hillenbrand, lacking the restraints of the 100-page screenplay, had the space to tell the real story from multiple points of view and so the numbers add up just as they did in real life. So while I must give the film five gold stars for good civic intentions and solid acting (and more to kiss than a horse), it gets held back in primary for failure to achieve in elementary arthithmetic.

Other not-too-subtle signs of condescension toward a mass audience are at hand, the kind we DIDN'T see in the truly top-notch underdog "Gladiator" or "Rocky." SEABISCUIT leaned a bit much on Hollywood overproduction to puff itself up. This is such an utterly compelling story that even with the occasional glitch it would have sold better understated than without Randy Newman's (or his assistant's) plebian background music, which made every meadow a vista, every emphasis an epiphany, every awakening an orgasm. Too many carefully inserted "ta-daa" moments signaled by music or quick cuts that condescended to the audience, a pity in a film derived from a book that earned plenty of real "ta-daa's."

There is, however, one time-saving plot device which is utterly charming. It's pure fiction and I don't care. Kudos plus to the invented (NOT composite) character played by William H. Macy of tipsy radio sportscaster "Tick-Tock" McLoughlin, who broadcasts his own special blend of pixillated pony wisdom and thoroughbred blarney from a tiny studio with a host of noisemakers and musical instruments and the occasional help of a very bored girlfriend. (If you've seen BULL DURHAM you know the potential the blind eye of radio holds for fabricting faux "on-site" events.) Much welcome comedy relief that advanced the plot without my really knowing it. Not to digress, but is Mr. Macy ever in a bad movie??

I personally think SEABISCUIT is an asset to any family. Anecdotal DVD material is okay, nothing amazing. Visual transfer is fine, aural copy is just OK. I for one found that irritating earwash of not-quite-wall-to-wall background music annoying, especially during the false crescendoes; when I set the home theater receiver (and I have a cheap one) for U-shaped (ampitheater/surround) playback, it wasn't so annoying and blarey.

Seabiscuit his ownself was a no-bull horse. Despite the fact that the film comes equipped with some gratuitous bullfeathers, it's still well worth experiencing, and more than once.

88 snooze fest
Like gnawing on a tasteless biscuit that has, in fact, been floating out on the seas way too long. Let's start (and maybe finish) with my first complaint. What's with that sappy, cigar addled Jimney Cricket-esque, nostalgia-obsessed - cliched beyond belief - narration that accompanies black and white shots from the past as boringly as any car commercial? Have we become so roboticized to actually fall for that act ad infinitum (ad nauseum)?

Yes, Jeff Bridges is endearing, and Toby ain't too shabby either but the film was filled with formulaic tactics that simply take away from the beauty of the scenes and the appreciable performances.

I must admit, at times I was swept up in the grandeur of the flick and who wasn't rooting for the underhorse at every gallop; however, I am sick of the formula!!! Please give us something truly unique. It doesn't matter if the film is based on a true story if the story is told like a billion others.

All it would have taken, in my humble opinion, would be some sort of "cliche-checker" ensuring that the film be ridded of any overtly formulaic or snooze-inducing cliches (like the good ole boy American narration). Perhaps this is mean of me; but how many agree that we have seen these tactics way too much? Just because it pleases the marketing research panels and promises to pack the crowds does not translate to quality. The film could have been great without the cliches!!!

Sorry.

89 Too good for the era in which it was produced
SEABISCUIT has much too generous a heart for the mean-spirited era in which we live. Sometime's it seems as though films which are less intellectual are consigned to the scrap heap by the arts-page elite, even though these pictures tell a great story beautifully and reflect the highest elements of film art. The fact that Chris Cooper was never nominated for an Oscar for his awesome performance in this film says it all. Sure, the film does not reflect the historical record accurately, and for this reason it might have been retitled. But there were sufficient elements gleaned from the rest of Seabiscuit's history to justify a film with his name on it.

When you go to the movies or roll a DVD, don't seek absolute historical truth, and above all don't scorn honest emotion. SEABISCUIT is a beautifully produced film.

Well produced, acted, edited and art-directed. The costumes are awesome. The script is intelligent. Randy Newman's score is predictably lavish and lovely. The cinematography is to die-for. The tension and pacing are appropriate to the tale. So for all those aspiring Vincent Canby's out there, I say leave it to the master.

We go to the movies to be enthralled, to think and feel and leave this sorry world for awhile. I loved this movie, and my firends think I'm an intellectual. Little do they know!

90 This movie is incredibly plain...
Seabiscuit is an acclaimed movie that runs for well over two hours, yet I found myself bored and waiting to see what was so great about this movie.

This movie tells the story of Seabiscuit, its trainer, owner and jockey. The movie opens by showing snippets of a young Tobey McGuire at home with his family and Jeff Bridges making a fortune selling cars. It shows Chris Cooper on the farm training horses. This movie jumps from scene to scene at an incredible pace from the beginning of the movie to the end.

The editing seems choppy and the story is fragmented. To enjoy this movie, every single scene needed to be about 10 seconds longer. The director cut every scene short, making them just long enough to tell the viewers how they should feel.

At the very beginning of the movie, Jeff Bridges sees his son reading a book. He asks him if he wants to go outside and play. The son says no, then the scene cuts to the dad leaving town without the son. There is no explanation why or who is even watching the kid. The next scene shows the kid getting in a truck to go fishing. The next scene shows the kid dead and the dad crying.

The whole movie is like this. There is no character development because there isn't time. If you watch this movie, check out the scene where it is revealed Toby McGuire is blind. That could have been longer and explained more, but it is cut short and left me wondering what's going on?

I guess this movie would have needed another hour to give the subject matter justice, but as it stands, the director did a horrible job of telling a great story. This movie deserves none of the accolades it is getting.

91 Seabiscuit
One of the best films we have watched in a long time. Seabiscuit is a Classic and will be treasured over and over again.

92 Charming
I thought this movie was amazingly well done. I loved it.
The characters and acting ensemble were cast with dynamite effects. Some times the series of circumstances seemed disjointed and with too little foundation to fully grasp the impact but the unifying pieces are so effective the movie flows with great believeability. William H. Macy's character as an announcer who seems to flank every horse race Seabiscuit runs is the greatest thread of consistency in the movie. The announcer who conveys the elements of historically accurate moments gives the movie credibility and ties the loose ends of this nonfiction adaptation.
Randy Newman wrote a movie score that wraps itself around the characters and enhances each moment of despair and inspiration.
If the rating had been just one degree more geared toward family I would loved to have brought my kids to see it. It's a great come from behind and never-down-and-out inspiring story. Predictable in ending but not in the development of each character. I proudly own this dvd.

93 Worth a watch. (One watch only)
A fleeting moment in the passing of film history. Too overshadowed by the greatness of the book. While most people remember Return of the King , Lost in Translation, and Mystic River being the best of 2003, Seabiscuit will only be held as a sentimental sports movie (like Rocky except without the uplifting end that wasn't a happy ending). It has it's merits but is very mediocre considering the artistic triumphs of this year. If you thought Forrest Gump was the movie of the century, didn't get a minute of Pulp Fiction, or thought the love story in Titanic was a real portrait of romantic love then I would recommend this. But if you tolerate movies with subtitles, thinks that subtleness is not a bad thing, and hate being emotionally spoonfed, then I would recommend you stay far away from this. 3-Stars for the effort and the fact that I was entertained for most of it.

94 Must see!
I thought this movie would be boring and hokey, but it was incredible! I highly recommend this movie for a date night or if you want to watch a high quality flick with excellent acting and a well written story. The story is pretty incredible and might bring a tear to your eye.

95 Hokey-Jockey Fun...
You have to check the box to make sure you're not in another Disney-esque Remember the Titans or Miracle escapism here. The movie has a great story, but plays it out with an exceedingly overbearing soundtrack. Subtle, this film is not. Yet, you feel your heart swell as the characters pull at you. In a movie where most of the sets are barns and race tracks, you have to be able to count on your actors. There are pluses and minuses there.

David McCullough does almost as much voice-over narration as he did in Ken Burn's Civil War. Toby McGuire, donning red hair rather than jumpsuit, is perfect in that sometimes you like him, sometimes he bugs you. Chris McCarron as Charley Kurtsinger pulls away quickly and puts the heart into this film. He never seems to steal a scene outright, but his small smile and dark stare make him very memorable. Finally, William H. Macy is great (once again) as Tick Tock McGlaughlin. The significance of radio is actually communicated by Macy's character to the viewers without (gasp) McCullough having to tell you that radio was very significant.

Jeff Bridges is good, but he seems to be drawing a lot more from his Tucker: The Man and His Dream days. That was a good movie, but then again it was about him. Here we talking about a horse, and he can complicate scenes by almost upstaging his four-legged friend. Chris Cooper seems to play right up and beyond the stereotype of the old man trainer. His wit and wisdom are never convincing maybe because Jeff Bridges seems to dominate every scene they share. Cooper looks as if he is waiting for all the other actors to get done before he starts performing. I hear that Elizabeth Banks was in this movie, but if you can follow anything about her character or find yourself rooting alongside, good luck. She's a historical necessity for the film to be authentic and not much else.

If you want Black Beauty Redux, you're going to be disappointed. If you want Remember the Titans, you're going to miss the obnoxious camaraderie between characters. But, if you're looking for a good story and a few interesting, complex characters then enjoy!

96 Very Awesome
This movie is a must see for anyone who is a FAN of Tobey McGuire. Jeff Bridges is outstanding as well. Just a must see wonderful movie!

97 A Feel Good Film
How delightful that a "small" film like this one would be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. The movie gives us a vivid impression of America in the 30's, harsh and yet full of hope. The racing scenes are terrific and the acting superb. The showing I attneded at a local theatre had the audience cheering and applauding. I think this is a "keeper."

98 Loved the racing scenes but...
...I thought Jeff Bridges' performance had more than a whiff of ham about it. I would give this film 3 1/2 stars if Amazon had that kind of system; I did enjoy it and I thought it was basically well-written & performed. The racing scenes were absolutely superb. I enjoyed the performances of Toby McGuire & Gary Stevens, and Chris Cooper was also flawless. I thought the film began somewhat awkwardly but it righted itself within the next ten minutes.

99 Please.... it's OK to just enjoy a movie, isn't it?
I love reading the reviews bashing Seabiscuit. A sign of times when you can't enjoy a great story about an underdog with no cynacism or modern day histrionics.

I loved it, I cheered for Seabiscuit. I bet you will too....

100 Seabiscuit is wonderful - buy the DVD
Seabiscuit was an under-advertised movie that surprised me in how good it was. It starts off slow telling a lot of backstory, and the main character doesn't appear nearly soon enough, but if you overlook those problems it's a wonderful and literally beautiful film. I loved the horse and wished we could have seen more of it and even more races. The races were breathtaking. Yes, it's a feel-good movie but a deep one, not superficial, and a genuinely good story.

I don't know why, but I rented this DVD and watched it four times and then could barely part with it, so I ended up buying it. The horse and characters are endearing. The races, even if you aren't into horse racing, are filmed so great you feel you are in them, riding in them or close by in the stands. The stars of this ensemble cast were perfectly cast and did a fine job. Tobey Maguire was nearly unrecognizable as a skinny little red-haired jockey, but he did a terrific job. Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper were fantastic as well and perfect for their parts. This DVD also comes with some great extra features. I'd say buy it now,- you won't regret it a bit. It's a movie that will stay in your heart a long time, and will be thought of years later as one of the best of 2003.