“Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story” (Dreamworks)
Never underestimate a story about a girl and her horse, especially one that is based on a true story. When you add in the fact the little girl is played by superstar Dakota Fanning then you know you have the potential for solid entertainment. And that is what you get in “Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story.”
Fanning plays Cale Crane, the daughter of Ben and Lily Crane (Kurt Russell and Elizabeth Shue). Ben works as a trainer for Palmer (David Morse), a wealthy horseman. But at the beginning of the movie Ben is fired and ends up on his farm with one single horse, a horse called “dreamer.”
Cale believes in the horse and thinks she could be a champion, but Ben thinks otherwise. He also does not have the money for the entrance fees into the races. But Cale has her dream and her dream of a horse.
Dakota Fanning is an amazing little actress. She is such a natural on screen that you forget she is not who she is pretending to be. Every move she makes, every breath she takes in this film is that of Cale Crane.
It is also beneficial to this movie that there is a strong rapport between Fanning and Russell. They seem to genuinely care for each other and this drives Russell’s performance to be one of his best in quite some time. Throw in Kris Kristofferson as Pop, Ben’s father, and you have a trio of talent.
Shue is also good as Lily but her role as written is not a major one either time wise or plot wise. Luis Guzman and Freddy Rodriguez are impressive as two trainers who work for Ben. Morse makes a good bad guy.
The film takes place in the Kentucky area around Lexington and that is where it was filmed. The beauty of this scenery matches the emotional beauty of the story.
The plot of the story is one you have seen a million times but in this instance the difference is Fanning. She is what makes the movie special and she is its emotional core.
The movie is rated PG for mild profanity.
Even if you thrilled to “Seabiscuit,” there should be room in your viewing habits for another horse movie. If you miss this one you will have missed a sweetly sentimental story of a girl and her horse. Who could resist
I scored “Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story” a fanciful 7 out of 10.
