Get the MovieNight app
Add it to your home screen — faster & full screen
Get the MovieNight app
Add it to your home screen — faster & full screen
DreamWorks Pictures
Spyglass Entertainment
The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Universal Pictures
Not part of a collection.
The hopes of a nation rode on a long shot.
True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation.
John Chard
May 26, 2019 · via TMDB
It wears its sentimental heart firmly on its fetlock. As the depression era kicks in, Americans were grasping for any sort of inspiration they could get, enter equine supreme, Seabiscuit. Considered broken down, too small and untrainable, Seabiscuit went on to become a bastion of great racehorses and in the process bringing solace to those closest to it. Back in 2003 upon its initial release, critics were very divided as to the merits of Seabiscuit as a picture. Some were concerned that this adaptation from Laura Hillenbrand's highly thought of novel missed too many crucial elements, others were merely touting the tired old charge of the film purely baiting Oscar (something that is levelled at every film in history about hope and second chances), the more astute critics of the time however lauded it as the delightful and inspiring piece that it is. It would be churlish of me to not agree that Seabiscuit is laced with sentiment, rookie director Gary Ross barely wastes a chance to tug the heart strings and paint an evocative sequence, but if you have got it in you to accept this true story for its base emotional point, then it is one hell of a wonderful experience. Seabiscuit is not just about the equine beauty of the picture, it's also a fusion of three men's personal wavering, who for one reason or another need the horse for far more important crutches than those provided by financial gain, make no bones about it, Seabiscuit is a very human drama. Knowing how the picture will end never once becomes a problem, because the historical accuracy in the story makes one yearn for that grandiose ending, one to gladden the heart in the way it must have done to thousands upon thousands of Americans back in the depression era day. Ross wisely chooses to filter in as much realism as he possibly can, archive stills and narration serve as exceptional points of worth to the narrative structure. Then there is the first rate cast to fully form the emotional complexities that Seabiscuit provides. Jeff Bridges, Tobey Maguire (waif like), Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, top American jockey Gary Stevens and a splendidly jaunty William H Macy, all can rightly feel proud of their respective work on this picture. Yet it's with the thundering race sequences that Seabiscuit really triumphs best, magnificent beasts hurtling around the race track are excellently handled by Ross and his cinematographer, John Schwartzman, whilst a nod of approval must go to the sound department's efforts, for this is definitely one to give your sub-woofer a work out. Seabiscuit was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning none, perhaps the Academy also felt like those critics who thought it was trying too hard for a Golden Statue? But now after the dust has settled some years later, it pays to revisit Seabiscuit and judge it on its own emotional terms, for it's a tremendously well crafted picture that is of course as inspirational as it most assuredly is tender, a fine fine picture indeed. 9/10
Wuchak
Jan 31, 2019 · via TMDB
***Hope for the broken via a quirky, forsaken race horse*** During the Depression, an undersized, “lazy” horse named Seabiscuit becomes a champion, lifting the spirits of both its team and that of the nation. Jeff Bridges plays the owner, Tobey Maguire the jockey and Chris Cooper the trainer. Valerie Mahaffey is on hand as the owner’s wife. Based on the real story, “Seabiscuit” (2003) is reminiscent in tone of another timeless historical drama starring Bridges, “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” (1988) by Francis Ford Coppola. I prefer the underrated “Tucker” because it’s snappier and less vague, but “Seabiscuit” ain’t no slouch. Like the historically-based “Jeremiah Johnson” (1972) the manner of storytelling respects the intelligence of the viewer to sometimes read between the lines. One of the best parts is the build-up to the race with War Admiral and the thrilling race itself. Not knowing the real-life events, a couple of the twists were surprising. The first act, however, seems bogged down by extraneous details about the owner. The film runs 2 hour, 19 minutes and was shot in California, New York and Kentucky. GRADE: B
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
fuboTV
MGM+ Amazon Channel
Peacock Premium
Philo
MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel
YouTube TV
MGM Plus
Peacock Premium Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Tobey Maguire
Red Pollard
David McCullough
Narrator
Jeff Bridges
Charles Howard
Chris Cooper
Tom Smith
Elizabeth Banks
Marcela Howard
Eddie Jones
Samuel D. Riddle
William H. Macy
Tick Tock McGlaughlin
Royce D. Applegate
Dutch Doogan
Michael Ensign
Steamer Owner
Jesse Hernandez
Male Mariachi Band
Paul Vincent O'Connor
Bicycle Supervisor
Ed Lauter
Charles Strub
Michael O'Neill
Mr. Pollard
Annie Corley
Mrs. Pollard
Valerie Mahaffey
Annie Howard
Michael Angarano
Young Red Pollard
Dyllan Christopher
Frankie Howard
Matt Miller
Pimlico Starter
Gary Ross
Pimlico Track Announcer
Jay Cohen
Bugle Player
Cameron Bowen
Pollard Child
David Doty
Land Broker
James Keane
Car Customer
Noah Luke
Pollard Child
Finder's Key
Seabiscuit
Kevin Mangold
Saratoga Jockey
Peter Jason
Reporter Max
Danny Strong
Young Jockey
Gianni Russo
Alberto Gianini
Sam Bottoms
Mr. Blodget
Michelle Arthur
Marcela's Friend
Pat Skipper
Seabiscuit's Vet
Jeannine Oppewall
Production Design
Leslie A. Pope
Set Decoration
John Schwartzman
Director of Photography
Bill Roe
Second Unit Director of Photography
Mitchell Amundsen
Second Unit Director of Photography
François Duhamel
Still Photographer
Judianna Makovsky
Costume Design
Siân Grigg
Makeup Artist
Gary Archer
Prosthetics
Dan Bradley
Stunt Coordinator
Silvio Wolf Busch
Stunt Coordinator
Ben Hernandez Bray
Stunts
David Leitch
Stunts
Heather Burton-Gibson
Stunts
Tad Griffith
Stunts
Gary Ross
Director
Adam Somner
First Assistant Director
Dan Bradley
Second Unit Director
William Goldenberg
Editor
Debra Zane
Casting
Terri Taylor
Casting
Gary Barber
Executive Producer
Roger Birnbaum
Executive Producer
Tobey Maguire
Executive Producer
Frank Marshall
Producer
Gary Ross
Producer
Kathleen Kennedy
Producer
Jay Cohen
Musician
Randy Newman
Original Music Composer
Andy Nelson
Sound Mixer
Anna Behlmer
Sound Mixer
Karen Baker Landers
Supervising Sound Editor
Gary Ross
Screenplay
Milky Way
A Good Man
The Green Mile
City of God
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Full Metal Jacket
A Taxi Driver
Casino
Ugetsu
The Masked Lover
To Kill a Mockingbird
Titanic
Army of Shadows
Downfall
A Beautiful Mind
Dances with Wolves
The Grapes of Wrath
Bird of the Storm
Solaris
Gloomy Sunday
Dogville
All the President's Men
The Last Emperor
Sweet Bean
Apollo 13
Erin Brockovich
The Experiment
The Last King of Scotland
Scarface
When the Last Sword Is Drawn
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
The Big Short
The Terminal
Bridge to Terabithia
Through My Window
Murder She Said
The Sin of Anna Lans
Minari
25th Hour
The Devil's Backbone
Lean On Me
The Greatest Game Ever Played
A Funny Man
The Last Full Measure
2046
Monster
Twelve O'Clock High
The Last 10 Years
Becket
Stranger Than Paradise
The Long Game
Notes on a Scandal
Little Children
The Virgin Suicides
Boy A
The Cowboys
The Tin Drum
The Snow Walker
The Dimension Travelers
A Death of Innocence
Soy leyenda
Waiting for My Cup of Tea
Nobody Leaves Alive
Amazing Grace
The Horse Whisperer
Mardock Scramble: The First Compression
Fantômas
Marco: The Invented Truth
23
Solomon Northup's Odyssey
Anna and the King
The Fortress
Newsies
White Mane
Hey, I'm Alive
To Die For
Gotti
A Bear Named Winnie
Crash
The Work and the Glory II: American Zion
Murder, Inc.
The Frame-Up
Tragic Vacation
Sleepless
Little Pink House
Godforsaken!
De-Lovely
Last Orders
Baby Blues
The Greening of Whitney Brown
Seberg
The Grump: In Search of an Escort
Party Monster
Silk
Ben-Hur
Any Mother's Son
El lugar donde estuvo el paraíso
Vladimir Dubrovsky: The Noble Robber
Lízino štěstí
Dangerous Paradise
The Swimmer
Japan
Victoria Rosana Maite
Butterfly in the Typewriter
The Lifeboat
The Sutherland School
Horúčka
Země duní
Rainbows
Counting Miracles
Untitled Chico Mendes Biopic
7 Miles Out
Mistr a Markétka
Ulkar
LUCAS: The Musical Live
Rukama nevinnosti
Ford v Ferrari
Black Beauty
Barry Lyndon
Young Woman and the Sea
Something the Lord Made
One Life
Rush
The World's Fastest Indian
The Hill
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Richard Jewell
Chaplin
Secretariat
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
Rudy
War Horse
Ride Like a Girl
The Boys in the Boat
Midway
Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story
Invincible
My All American
True Spirit
Shattered Glass
Walk. Ride. Rodeo.
We Are Marshall
King of the Hill
Chariots of Fire
Black Beauty
The Last Rifleman
The Gathering Storm
Honkytonk Man
Under Capricorn
Jul 22, 2003
© 2025-2026 MovieNight. All rights reserved.
Versus
Sign in to play →
The Stranglers - Live '78, SF
1978
Saddle Leather Law
1944
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
What is your favorite movie genre?
Versus
Sign in to play →
The Stranglers - Live '78, SF
1978
Saddle Leather Law
1944
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
Leaderboard →Playing as a guest — sign in to save your score and rank on the leaderboard.
Movie Trivia
Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
What is your favorite movie genre?
We use essential cookies to run MovieNight, plus analytics (Google Analytics) and advertising (Google AdSense) cookies. By continuing to browse, you agree to this — or click No and we won't. See our Terms & Privacy Policy to learn more.