Thanks to the nice folks at Disney for inviting my kids and I to an advanced screening of the movie. You guys might remember a few weeks ago when I posted the trailer. I've been excited about this movie for months and it did not disappoint. Sooo I decided to post:
Ten reasons why I LOVED the movie Secretariat. (A review, of sorts...)
1. It was about horse racing, which I have loved all my life. My parents go to the Derby every year, and they always bring me back a Derby glass (the kind they put the mint juleps in). I have quite a collection! This is akin to those tee shirts that say "My mom went to _________ and all I got was a tee shirt."
2. It was the kind of movie people clap in. I love movies where the audience is so inspired they have to clap.
3. It made me want to ride a horse again. I haven't been on one in years. You might not know this about me, but I was raised around horses. Had one from when I was 6 to when I was in my teens. Her name was Sugar. I had the kind of life where you could go out back, saddle up your horse and go for a ride. It was a great way to grow up.
4. Diane Lane did a superb job. I loved her in The Outsiders when I was a kid, then the movie Streets of Fire, and later Must Love Dogs... and now this. She reminds me a lot of a friend of mine. I also loved John Malcovich in it, even though I will always partly see him as the creepy dude who tried to kill the president in that Clint Eastwood movie. The whole cast was wonderful.
5. I was able to take my kids and I didn't cringe during a single part-- there was nothing inappropriate (language, innuendo, etc.) in the whole film. How often do you get that?
6. The race scenes were done with a camera angle that made you see the track from the vantage point of the jockey. You really felt like you were there.
7. There's one point in the movie where Diane Lane says "Just let him run!" I think that was my favorite part of the whole movie. It got me thinking about how often we hold ourselves or the people around us back because we're too afraid to push. When they let Secretariat run and stopped holding him back out of fear, they saw what he could do.
8. The movie is about a mom who is pursuing her dream while still trying to be a good mother. I totally identified with that and I thought it very accurately portrays the difficult parts as well as the victories that come with that balancing act.
9. Penny Tweedy (who is now 88) makes a cameo in the movie. I love when they do that.
10. The movie is about how one person's tenacity and intuition can make all the difference. I love seeing that played out in real life, especially when that one person is standing alone-- but has the courage to keep standing up for what she believes. I know some of the story was altered for the sake of drama, but I just let myself get lost in the story as they portrayed it. And what a story it is!
If you can see it, you totally should. Take your kids. Take your friend. Take your spouse. Go alone. But see it. It'll make you feel good.
(To read my friend Lysa's review of the movie, you can go here. She liked it as much as I did!)
5 comments:
I keep hearing such wonderful things about this movie! I have to take my son to the dentist this week and he loathes it, so maybe we can make it a treat (more like a bribe--gotta do what you gotta do). Has it been released yet?
This is about the 3rd great post I've read on Secratariat!
Must go see it soon!
I love your reasons, Marybeth! I definitely want to see it now! It sounds like my kind of movie! Have an awesome day! Blessings, Cheri
I am not typically a horse person per se, but the buzz I have been hearing about this movie has been amazing. It does sound like it's really a feel good movie, and it has been so long since I have seen one of those. Thanks for listing the ten reasons that you loved this movie. I am thinking about taking the family over the weekend.
Thank you for this post, Marybeth! I, too, can't wait to see it!
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