My wife and I both agree, that this is about the best horseracing movie we've seen, all the way around--cast, direction, script, soundtrack. The premise is a movie cliche, of course, and the end is mighty predictable. What makes this movie rise above all the others is mostly the marvelous cast.
Kurt Russell looks like a Kentucky horse trainer. His run-down farm looks like the real thing. Kris Kristoferson is his distant and mouthy father, a splendid choice for the role. Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Shue are just right in their parts--archetypical rather than stereotypical. The string music speaks of Kentucky, but not of the hills.
Morse plays the instrument of the sellout, money, power, and corruption, a voice that small time horse trainers will recognize as true. The conflict here is between values, the slick money men vs. flesh-and-blood people. The Saudi princes get a role in here, but they are neither bashed nor glorified. Kentuckians will recognize many bit players in here too, including jockey Tammy Fox.
Based on a true story, as they say. The first half of the movie could be based upon a lot of true stories. A lot. The last half of the movie is a fantasy, but we happen to know some fantasies that came true.
Not just that an independent smalltime horseman can win a big race, although that happens now and then--no, more often the way this fantasy works out is, that someone who loves horses gets to spend a lifetime working with them, while supporting their family, and free of the corruption of drugs and the cheap and commercial fast buck.
Independently poor--but by God independent.