Dreamer

Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story (Director: John Gatins)

This is Gatins's directorial debut. He wrote the screenplay for this as well as for sports movies Summer Catch, Hard Ball, and this year's Coach Carter.

We all know the drill for these movies. You take a horse who has the potential to be awesome, someone gives up on them for one reason or another, a family of underdogs takes the horse and gives it the tender loving care needed to make it a champion. After that, what does the movie try to do to distinguish itself?

Dreamer takes the father/daughter angle. Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) is a stable manager who works for rich jerk Palmer (David Morse) whose occupation is breeding champion thoroughbreds for wealthy sponsers. Before a big race involving our featured horse Sonator, Crane warns Palmer that the philly doesn't seem to be ready. After being told his place, he is proven right. Sonator breaks her leg and is probably going to have to be put down. Ben gets fired for yelling at his boss for not heeding his warning, and as part of his final paycheck, keeps the horse in the hope to rehabilitate it. This excites daughter Cale (Dakota Fanning), who in the next few days develops a friendship with the horse as trainers (Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez) help dad out with the leg. His dad (Kris Kristofferson) offers to help with some money. But dad's relationship with daughter needs work, as mom Lily (Elisabeth Shue) points out. After a couple of months, we find, the horse can do miraculous things, and through the horse, dad finds a way to make up for his mistakes.

This is a very good family movie, one that I don't believe ever stoops to one fart joke or stepping-in-crap joke. Dakota Fanning turns in another performance, her third this year, where you can't believe she's a child. There's an early scene where Guzman is saying, "Buenos dias," telling her what it means, and I couldn't help but think that she could teach Guzman Spanish. Kurt Russell, in a performance far-removed from his giddy Sky High turn, shows yet again his underrated chops.

I definitely go see this if you are a family looking for a movie this weekend.