With that in mind, I tend to like movies about horse racing. I usually like any sports-related movie, but movies about horse racing are incredibly rare. This alone makes Secretariat an interesting prospect, but once the novelty rubs off, it succumbs to far too many sports movie clichés.
Secretariat chronicles the unlikely story of Secretariat, who in 1973 became the first Triple Crown winner in nearly 25 years. For those who don't follow horse racing, this accomplishment probably doesn't mean much, but it's a big deal - it just doesn't happen that often.
Like all sports movies, Secretariat is built around the "underdog" plotline. After the death of her mother, Penny Chenery Tweedy (Diane Lane) takes over her family's stables. In her attempt to get the business up and running, she hires trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) and, against her husband and brother's best judgment, acquires a new horse, Secretariat. Just when things are going well, her father dies, leaving Penny in a tough spot. Her horse isn't living up to expectations and she's stuck with a massive inheritance-tax debt. Although Penny is offered the opportunity to sell Secretariat and get from under her debt, her belief in the horse's potential keeps her from making the quick sell.
While the underdog storyline is expected, Secretariat takes the concept a little too far. Nearly everyone in the movie - from Penny to Secretariat to Lucien - all have something to prove. This is all well and good, but you can only push the idea so far before it loses its meaning. It's akin to tossing in "sentence modifiers" into dialogue. For as much "edge" as they can give a line, when every other word is one of George Carlin's Seven Words, the edge is dulled.
Don't get me wrong, Secretariat is not a terrible movie by any stretch of the imagination. However, it's not a great one either. It simply lumps too many "against the odds" situations on viewers that even in its better moments, it can't quite rise above itself. There's a lot to work with here, but the core of the story is lost in the film's insistence on making sure viewers know it's the story of the little guy (or guys and gals, in this case). The theme is clear early on, so the constant reminder is unnecessary.
Secretariat has its bright spots. Diane Lane is great as Penny. She has her fair share of heart-on-the-sleeve, me against the world moments, but is one of the only characters to not come off as a one-note character. John Malkovich turns in a typically wonderful performance as well.
The numerous race shots are another high point and the focus of two extra features. "Choreographing the Races" shows the process of filming the races. It's always fun to see little filmmaking tricks in action. The second, "Secretariat Multi-Angle Simulation" builds on the simulation footage found in the first extra and offers it alongside the actual race day coverage from the 1973 Preakness. I'm not sure if it will hold the attention of non-racing fans, but fans will like it.
I'm always iffy on Commentary Tracks, but enjoyed Director Randall Wallace's commentary. Wallace covers everything you could ever want to know about the film, including finding the right stars (both two and four-legged), his approach to storytelling and differences between the real events and what you see in the film.
"A Director's Inspiration," a conversation between Wallace and the real Penny is a great follow-up to the commentary.
Rounding out the extras is "Heart of a Champion," a behind-the-scenes spot, seven deleted scenes (four are exclusive to the Blu-ray release) and a music video with A.J. Michalka.
If there's any reason to go for the Blu-ray over the DVD, it's the racing sequences. They look great in HD. But, when it comes to the choice between a purchase and a rental, it will hinge on your love of The Sport of Kings. At the very least, Secretariat is a great family rental. It may wallow in its own formulaic melodrama at times, but it's still worth watching.
