The cinema has seen so many films about horses that the audience could be easily tired of it. From "Black Beauty", through the marvelous "Seabiscuit" to "Dreamer: Inspired by a true story". The fact that the last lines are part of its original title, explains that it matters to the filmmakers and so it will to the audience. Actually these films continue to work and no one has complained about it.
Whether they are based or inspired by true stories or not, whether they contain the same story and the same stereotyped characters, whether they have the same cheesy and moving score and whatever the name of the horse is (which is usually the one in the title). "Soñador" is Cale Crane's (Dakota Fanning) horse name; it means "Dreamer" in Spanish. Cale is a little girl, but she loves that horse and she earns more than the half of it.
"My father says that this used to be a very big farm", says little Cale at the beginning of the movie. Now her father Ben (Kurt Russel) is a horseman working for Palmer (David Morse), the bad guy. Palmer's best horse, Soñador, has a race, but Ben tells Palmer that the horse doesn't seem well, that she shouldn't run. The race takes place, and the horse breaks a leg; Palmer wants to let her die, but Ben doesn't; so he takes her to his stable.
Soon, Ben and his helpers Balon (a charming Luis Guzmán) and Manny (a surprising Freddy Rodriguez) are fixing her, with the help of Pop (Kris Kristofferson); who had been angry at his son Ben but says "he is the best horseman". Now Ben's wife and Crane's mother Lily (a beautiful and solid Elisabeth Shue) is living a dream with the possibility of Soñador running again.
What follows you will already know it, but I assure you will want to see it anyway. Movies about horses always have an element that makes you stay put in front of the screen. I could say this is a trick, this is a safe way of making the film likable; but there is a hidden honesty somewhere, a sign of true feeling. "Seabiscuit" had something very touching and very moving, and I never knew what it was.
John Gatins, writer of sports films, some bad ("Summer Catch"), some regular ("Hard Ball") and some very good ("Coach Carter"), comes back with horses and family, and comes back in style. His long shots are beautiful, so is his story and his peaceful camera and direction. He is extensively aided by John Debney's familiar but perfect score that helps the environment with violins and strings.
My mother rented the film because, among other things, she saw Dakota Fanning in the cover Have you got any idea the power this little girl transmits on screen? She's facing great actors in "Dreamer", and she's being better than them at times. "Look at the faces she makes, look at the expressions", my mother said.
Kurt Russel has being doing quiet roles over the last few years, and he is very likable in them. Here, he makes you believe that he loves horses and that they talk to him. Kris Kristofferson really seems Russel's father, and he plays his role calmly and subtly He astounds. And the movie does what I've said a lot in different ways: it triumphs.
Whether they are based or inspired by true stories or not, whether they contain the same story and the same stereotyped characters, whether they have the same cheesy and moving score and whatever the name of the horse is (which is usually the one in the title). "Soñador" is Cale Crane's (Dakota Fanning) horse name; it means "Dreamer" in Spanish. Cale is a little girl, but she loves that horse and she earns more than the half of it.
"My father says that this used to be a very big farm", says little Cale at the beginning of the movie. Now her father Ben (Kurt Russel) is a horseman working for Palmer (David Morse), the bad guy. Palmer's best horse, Soñador, has a race, but Ben tells Palmer that the horse doesn't seem well, that she shouldn't run. The race takes place, and the horse breaks a leg; Palmer wants to let her die, but Ben doesn't; so he takes her to his stable.
Soon, Ben and his helpers Balon (a charming Luis Guzmán) and Manny (a surprising Freddy Rodriguez) are fixing her, with the help of Pop (Kris Kristofferson); who had been angry at his son Ben but says "he is the best horseman". Now Ben's wife and Crane's mother Lily (a beautiful and solid Elisabeth Shue) is living a dream with the possibility of Soñador running again.
What follows you will already know it, but I assure you will want to see it anyway. Movies about horses always have an element that makes you stay put in front of the screen. I could say this is a trick, this is a safe way of making the film likable; but there is a hidden honesty somewhere, a sign of true feeling. "Seabiscuit" had something very touching and very moving, and I never knew what it was.
John Gatins, writer of sports films, some bad ("Summer Catch"), some regular ("Hard Ball") and some very good ("Coach Carter"), comes back with horses and family, and comes back in style. His long shots are beautiful, so is his story and his peaceful camera and direction. He is extensively aided by John Debney's familiar but perfect score that helps the environment with violins and strings.
My mother rented the film because, among other things, she saw Dakota Fanning in the cover Have you got any idea the power this little girl transmits on screen? She's facing great actors in "Dreamer", and she's being better than them at times. "Look at the faces she makes, look at the expressions", my mother said.
Kurt Russel has being doing quiet roles over the last few years, and he is very likable in them. Here, he makes you believe that he loves horses and that they talk to him. Kris Kristofferson really seems Russel's father, and he plays his role calmly and subtly He astounds. And the movie does what I've said a lot in different ways: it triumphs.