Racing Dreams

One of the rare documentaries you leave wishing it was a little bit longer.

The film doesn't always follow up on its more interesting issues: safety, technique, financial hardship, even the sport's history. But the emotional dynamics of its trio of formative hopefuls, and their touching relationships with the parents or guardians who work hard at enabling their passion, set a solid pace.

The perfect answer to cries of "I'm bored," Marshall Curry's outstanding documentary won't just entertain your family for a little while. It'll also inspire everyone to get back outside, and find a new passion.

The perceptively balanced "Dreams" transitions seamlessly from domestic drama to 70-mph heats.

It’s a darned entertaining way to get a handle on a sport that can seem like a bunch of cars doing circles for a crowd that seems most interested in seeing that next epic wreck.

Poised between childhood and adolescence, arrogance and insecurity, the kids still make for compelling subjects.

Curry also emphasizes the human drama of the kid drivers who face their own distinct challenges and setbacks in order to become champions.