Secretariat- The Review

As one of the most beloved, if not most beloved Triple Crown winners in the US, it would have been only a matter of time before Secretariat hit the big screen. This past weekend, the much antcipated Disney production was released. Before I continue on with with this review, I will warn people: This review does contain a few spoilers, and if you wish not to read them until after you see the movie, then you can stop here. However if you want read ahead, or have already seen the movie, then you can continue on.

Review

To be honest after reading some of the reviews which where mixed, I went into the theater with mid to low expectations. I'm not a huge fan of Diane Lane (who plays Penny Chenery), so I wasn't expecting much. Yes there are historical inaccurices, too many to post here. However in a way, it's not that suprising. Many times films can't be that accurate because either it's based on an unauthorized book or it took place at a time where the facts wheren't all sorted out.

As the movie started, I got the feeling that it was going to be really about Penny and not Secretariat, and I was right. However after his birth the focus did start to shift from Penny to Scretariat, but really after his first start did that shift start. Most notebly absent was Riva Ridge who had won the Derby and Belmont the year before for Penny, which was a bit disapointing. There where some jokes in the movie (most of them coming from John Malchovich (who plays Lucian Laurin)), that I really didn't find that funny. I also felt that when Lucian spoke French that John forced the words to come out (and considering Lucian was also a former jockey many thought he was too tall for the part. Having former jockey Otto Torwarth playing Ron Turcotte probley was the best thing to happen. However, he has an accent that you would normally not here from people who are from Canada (according to Turfway's website he was born in Arkansas). The movie ends with Secreatriat's Belmont win, you would expect a ballad or the actual Belmont call of "He's Moving Like a Tremendous Machine!". Nope, you got "Oh Happy Day", not the song you would expect. It did make the movie seem like it was made for the non horse racing fan in mind instead of the horse racing fan.

However leaving the theater, I realized that I have a new perceptive on racing. It doesn't mean I'm going to run out and buy a horse, but maybe one day I will. I know it's funny to say, but here's why I'm saying this. My sister who doesn't really like horses or horse racing liked the movie, which is very different from what I fully expected. I also found out that my mom was at the 1973 Belmont with her brother, the first time she had been to a race track. It gave me hope that maybe just maybe horse racing will make a comeback.

I give Secretariat a 3 out of 5 star review.