Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story

Thebest sports movies aren't really about sports. Dreamer has a few thundering horse races, but its finest moments are beautifully still ones, like the one in which a little girl peeks through a fence to give a lame filly a Popsicle.

Russell, who looks younger with each movie, holds his own against the formidable force that is Dakota Fanning.

It manages to be a watchable, even enjoyable movie about and for girls, and in our world of candy-coated sparkly pink c---, that's a rare and commendable thing.

There are no surprises in Dreamer--except that for all its visible and unselfconscious schmaltz, it's actually pretty enjoyable.

A kind of "Seabiscuit"-lite.

Kurt Russell and Kris Kristofferson, both graceful and naturalistic actors, are the best things going in this formulaic drama.

Adults will be restless as stabled bucks, but even children may need unusually high Ritalin doses to slog through the visual and dramatic indifference on display.

It's a kids movie so you know from the start it will have a happy ending. But all is not sweetness and light back at the old ranch. Dad and Grandpa haven't spoken for months, Dad is not too close to his own daughter, this movie has a little edge to it. Gets even worse when the horse dad is training is injured and dad gets fired. Can it get any worse? Of course, wouldn't be a Hollywood movie if it didn't. The family has to get down to the short straws so the triumph at the end is all the sweeter. The actors are all well known so I always think they do a movie like this so they can take their own families to see it.

I enjoyed watching this movie, but I wish there were more progression with the horse and the characters before going into the very best race (such as the true steel movie, where there were many challenges, where they start losing and win later).

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]