RATING:

Starring: Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Kris Kristofferson, Elisabeth Shue, David Morse, Freddy Rodriguez, Luis Guzmán, Oded Fehr. Written and Directed by John Gatins.

Rated PG for brief mild language.

I have yet to see Seabiscuit, the last horse racing film in recent history that will undoubtedly jump to mind given this film’s genre. I have also never gotten around to watching The Black Stallion, as catching up with heartwarming family classics has never been a big priority for me. The good news is that my inexperience with cinematic equines allows me to steer clear from the obvious comparisons. The bad news is that Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, brings to mind every other inspirational tale of overcoming disagreeable odds.

First off, it’s a bad sign when you have to include the words “Inspired by a True Story” as part of your film’s title. The key is the usage of “inspired by” as opposed to “based on.” First time director and writer of the movie, John Gatins, undoubtedly took many liberties when scripting this tale based on the real-life filly, Mariah’s Storm; a racing horse who came back to win multiple cups after recovering from a broken leg that should’ve ended her career. There’s no question that this event proved the primary source for Dreamer, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gatins, before now collecting paychecks for writing multiple sports scripts, was “inspired by” every athletic tale ever put on celluloid. This is not to say that he needed to tamper with the basic formula. While time worn, having an underdog pull an upset victory against impossible circumstances has become clichéd for a reason.

The Greatest Game Ever Played is an example of an upcoming film “based on” a true story. The real life fodder for this film occurred nine decades ago and has since been rehashed countless times in sports’ films since. Despite treading material we’re more than familiar with, Greatest Game managed to find its own, unique angle and provide a film both original and emotional. Dreamer never manages to elevate its plot from redundant territory. It prides itself, however, on being first and foremost a story of family and generation gaps, using the film’s titular horse to represent a new hope in bridging longstanding wounds. While the actors manage to pull off some touching moments, even this, the main aspect of the script, comes across as tired.

The focus of Dreamer is the underdeveloped relationship between Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) and his daughter Cale (Dakota Fanning). Having worked with Sean Penn, Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, and Robert DeNiro before her 11th birthday, her resume must make actresses four times her age weep. Here, adding Kurt Russell to her list of leading male actors she’s stolen scenes from, she finally shares top billing. This level of success cannot be more deserving. Fanning, a pint size juggernaut of talent, just might be the greatest child actor of all time. A pivotal moment in the film revolves around her character’s father turning control and ownership of the titular thoroughbred over to her. She then proceeds to display a remarkable gift at horse training, transforming her racer into a formidable competitor. With any other actress her diminutive age, it would be necessary to stretch belief at Cale’s innate skill at the stable. If her on screen counterpart is as brilliant as she is, however, the prospect becomes believable.

Again, the problem with this film is not the actors. While every scene echoes an archive of films it attempts to emulate, the performers still manage to bring a real sentiment to the material. As Cale’s father, Russell makes us feel for the faithlessness burying him. In one of the few scenes that lived up to the actors inhabiting it, Ben Crane unexpectedly has to read a short story written by his daughter in front of a room of parents at a PTA meeting. The story, about a king that has lost his kingdom, is an obvious reference to himself. Russell, his character learning about his daughter’s project for the first time, cleverly does not overplay this moment but gives just the right amount of tell.

Dreamer is not a bad film, it just falls short of becoming something new from the films it was “inspired by.” While many seem all too familiar, it does contain family moments that ring true. Hopefully, however, this season will contain better family films you can spend your money on.