Dream Horse
Starring Toni Collette, Damian Lewis, Owen Teale, Joanna Page
Directed by Euros Lyn
If 2020 and 2021 has taught us anything, it's that we need some feel good films to take our minds off such desolation, destruction, and depression. The world remains on edge even though mandates are starting to lift, but people are still at each others' throats over the most mundane, pointless things. We need a film that'll bring everyone together, a true underdog story that tugs at the heartstrings without being emotionally manipulative. "Dream Horse" is one such film.
In the Welsh countryside, Jan Vokes (Toni Collette) isn't living her best life. She's bored with her job, does the same routine day in and day out, and barely even talks to her husband Brian (Owen Teale) anymore. She longs for the days when she was an experienced breeder of whippets and racing pigeons, and one day while tending the bar she overhears a story from Howard Davies (Damian Lewis) about horse racing, and sets her sights on breeding a thoroughbred horse.
This is no easy task, as Jan doesn't have a lot of money, and neither does her slowly deteriorating town, yet she comes up with a plan: gather townsfolk to each pitch in a little bit and they'll share custody of the horse. At first it seemed impossible, but soon a good amount of townspeople gather together to share in Jan's dream, and she buys a horse that breeds with a thoroughbred, giving birth to a baby horse that they call Dream Alliance. Against all odds, Dream Alliance becomes a formidable racing horse as it competes in different tournaments leading up to the prestigious Welsh Grand National, breathing new life into the small town, its residents, and Jan herself.
"Dream Horse" is one of those "based on a true story" that's relatively close to reality, even though it infuses typical tension that's designed to maintain the audience's attention, especially for a film almost two hours in length. It was a movie that I was hesitant in watching at first because it honestly seemed boring and predictable, but I found myself totally immersed in the experience, and thankfully being the only one in the theater I was able to stand and cheer and also shed a few tears as well without the judgment of others around me (not that it would've bothered me anyway). It didn't feel overly long, and at the end I found myself smiling from ear to ear - something that hasn't happened in awhile.
Since this is a true story, you can look up the facts to know the ending, or basically since it wasn't directed by someone like David Lynch, Lars von Trier or Darren Aronofsky, you can tell how it'll all work out in the end, but it doesn't take away from the emotional depth of the story. The film contains a lot of relatively unknown actors with the exception of Damian Lewis, who plays Howard with a quiet resolve that helps the character grow throughout the film. Yet its the lead role played by Toni Collette that's the heart and soul of the film. She is co-owner of Dream Alliance with a bunch of other people, but she's the closest connected to it, and treats the horse as one of her own children, which shows in the quiet emotional moments the two share as well as moments of every mother's worst fears, and Collette professionally weaves the story masterfully.
Some "feel good" films tug at your heartstrings like a blind, deaf cellist trying to pluck strings, forcing you to have an emotional response otherwise you'll feel like a terrible human being. "Dream Horse" pulls at your heartstrings like a delicate surgeon performing open heart surgery to make your heart better. It's nothing out of the ordinary, but yet it's extraordinary. Seeing a town that's ransacked and filled with people doing daily mindless repetitive tasks suddenly come to life and come together to cheer on one of their own is truly inspirational, and really something we need today now more than ever. In a world that's divided, angry, and fearful, we need to come together and rally around something worth cheering for, and much like underdog sports films like "Rudy" and "Rocky," "Dream Horse" delivers - just with an animal instead of a person, bringing together everyone for the common good.
Delivering a true underdog story that unites a whole community, "Dream Horse" is one of those sweet, feel-good films that doesn't manipulate but rather produces truly heartfelt moments that'll leave you smiling once the credits roll.
The Score: A-
Comments
Post a Comment