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Say what you want about them, but, deep down, everybody loves a feel-good, against-the-odds true story. No matter how melodramatic or manipulative these movies may be, audiences just can’t resist them—whether they’re telling the story of a football player who went from the streets to the NFL (The Blind Side), a rugby team that united a nation (Invictus), or, in Disney’s Secretariat, a horse that saved the farm.
Diane Lane stars as Penny Chenery Tweedy, a prim and perfect wife and mother of four living in Denver in 1969. After her mother’s death, Penny returns to Virginia, to her family’s farm. Though her father was once a successful horse breeder, he’s now battling Alzheimer’s, and the farm is struggling. But instead of taking her brother’s advice and selling it, Penny decides to take control, hiring eccentric trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) to handle the horses.
As Penny travels back and forth from Colorado to Virginia, juggling the farm and her family, things begin to look grimmer and grimmer for Meadow Farm. Penny’s only hope is a colt they call Big Red—a fast, strong horse that could have a chance of winning the first Triple Crown in 25 years.
Of course, you don’t need to check the outcome on Wikipedia to know exactly how Secretariat will play out. As expected, the film follows the same against-all-odds formula that you’ve seen time and time again. It’s melodramatic and manipulative, with plenty of drawn-out suspense and manufactured drama, amplified to make each of Secretariat’s successes seem all the more triumphant.
Fortunately, though, it’s not all heavy drama. In the midst of the death and financial woes and family conflicts, Malkovich brings plenty of much-needed comic relief. He’s a bright spot in the film, once again delightfully overplaying his role as Lucien, the trainer who “dresses like Superfly.”
In the end, despite its formulaic, predictable story (and all of those manipulative little touches), Secretariat is still a satisfying drama. It may not be entirely factual. It may manufacture drama that wasn’t really there. But it’s effective nonetheless. No matter how cynical you may be—and no matter how much you want to complain about the same old formula—you’ll have to admit that it works. Each race is exhilarating, each accomplishment emotional. By the time Secretariat takes to the track, you’ll be cheering right along with the rest of the audience. You won’t be able to help yourself. And when it’s all over, you might even find yourself getting a little choked up.
The story may not be surprising—and the drama may be obviously overdone—but Secretariat does exactly what it set out to do. And it’s as sweet and refreshing as a tall glass of tea in the South.
Blu-ray Review:
If you enjoyed Disney’s Secretariat so much that you want to know more of the story, you’ll definitely want to spend some time exploring the extras on the film’s Blu-ray/DVD combo release.
In addition to the usual extras—the director commentary, the deleted scenes (with optional commentary), and a music video (a Disney standard)—you’ll also find a number of features that further explore both Secretariat’s story and the making of the movie. Secretariat: Heart of a Champion tells the story through archive footage, cast and crew interviews, and interviews with those who worked with the real Secretariat. You’ll learn more about the horse—his personality, his winning attitude—and you’ll hear a little more of the story. For the best perspective on the story, though, you’ll want to watch A Director’s Inspiration, which shows a conversation between director Randall Wallace and the real Penny Chenery, who offers her thoughts on the legendary horse, her experience as his owner, and the director’s artistic license.
For a closer look at the filmmaking process, there’s also Choreographing the Races, a fascinating short feature that shows how Wallace was able to take audiences into the center of the action using unusual camera angles and techniques. And, finally, Secretariat Multi-Angle Simulation offers four perspectives on Secretariat’s race at Preakness—from jockey Michael Smith, reporter Brad Free, Preakness owner Dennis Mills, and spectator Michael Calderone. All four discuss different aspects of the race while a race simulation shows on the screen—or you can choose to watch footage of the actual race.
The release is full of up-close-and-personal extras—but none of them are especially time-consuming. So if you love horse racing—or you were just taken in by the drama of this inspirational film—you’ll appreciate the in-depth look that the special features offer.
