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Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Dylan Walsh, Dylan Baker, Scott Glenn ... see more see more... , Margo Martindale , Nelsan Ellis , Otto Thorwarth , Fred Dalton Thompson , James Cromwell , Amanda Michalka , Kevin Connolly , Mike Harding , Eric Lange , Richard Fullerton , Tim Ware , Nestor Serrano , Keith Austin , Drew Roy , Carissa Capobianco , Sean Cunningham , Jacob Rhodes , Graham McTavish , Tom Sean Foley , Grant Whitacre , Forry Smith , Tom Clark , Ken Strunk , Jazz Undy , Michael Guthrie , Cullen Wallace , Mike Battaglia , Tony Renaud , Jennifer Trier , Wynn Reichert , Tim Layden , William Nack , Pamela Pryor , Kate Ward , Andrew Wallace , Rusty Hendrickson , Michael Boyd , Michael Mills , Albert Duhon , Audrey Scott , Salid Parker , Joe Chrest , Jason Schwartz , Reid Cherner , Hank Goldberg , Dick Jerardi , John McClain , Jay Privman

Based on the Novel "Secretariat: The Making of a Champion" By William Nack, Secretariat chronicles the spectacular journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane La... read more read more...ne) agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery-with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich)-manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.-- (C) Disney

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76% liked it

45,489 ratings

Critics

63% liked it

142 critics

PG, 1 hr. 56 min.

Directed by: Randall Wallace

Release Date: October 8, 2010

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DVD Release Date: January 25, 2011

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Flixster Reviews (2,875)

  • paulsandberg
    May 14, 2012
    paulsandberg
    An Extremely well produced film - glossy, shiny and well paced, this Disney production manages to get past some heavy handed Disneyesque sentimentality and deliver the goods in a ripping yarn about the greatest racehorse to ever run a race, and the woman who believed in him.

    D... read moreiane Lane is near oscar worthy in her presentation of Penny Chenery, mother of four, and a housewife to an attorney. They reside in Colorado, and as the story begins, Penny has to rush back to the familial homestead in Virginia upon the death of her mother. When she arrives she finds the farm in decline and disrepair due mainly from her father being in the throes of Altzheimers. Fortunately, in a lucid moment, Dad bred two of his mares to a famous stallion (Bold Ruler). The story is not only of how Penny saves the farm, risking quite a lot (including the ire of her brother for not selling), but her belief in the horse she calls Big Red.

    There's plenty scenes of bonding and horse sense, letting you know how noble these beasts are, and how smart and intuitive Big Red is. This is a bit over the top, as is the perhaps too constant reminders of a woman standing up to the status quo in what was at the time a man's sport and a man's world. Regardless, it makes for a good story, playing up the "us against them" aspect as well as the perhaps silent bond between horse and those closest to it. In fact, by showing us some "human" aspects of the legendary horse - his love for the limelight, etc. - the film draws you in and makes you seriously root for Secretariat.

    There's plenty of drama in the well shot racing scenes and, even if you know the ending of the races, somehow there's still drama and you're on the edge of your seat yelling "go Big Red". Perhaps it's because I'm old enough to remember those races and being totally in awe of what has to be the greatest performance by a horse ever (the Belmont Stakes). I still get chills recalling the Sport's Illustrated cover of that magnificent, sturdy beast pounding the track into submission with the simple title "super".

    But the film is not just about those iconic races and all the drama surrounding them. There's the human tale of how Penny chose her trainer and jockey. In yet another quirky, yet oddly effective performance, John Malkovich shines as the French Canadian trainer, frequently muttering in French. Then there is the joy of seeing the always wonderful Margo Martindale - just so natural in every role she plays. I found it interesting to see both Margo and ex congressman Fred Thompson in the same film; recalling the wonderful romance they portrayed over several episodes of the Sidney Lumet TV show 100 Centre St which aired several years ago. Both actors so fully able to just "be".

    There's a wonderfully filmed sequence that aptly sums up the allure of this film. As the Belmont is being run and fans and critics alike utter that there's no way any horse can sustain such a torrid pace, the film backs off and shows the empty far turn with the white shiny rail on the right hand side. A voice over narration repeats a bit of poetry from the film's beginning; talking about how a warrior will always answer the call of the bugle - and then here comes Big Red around the turn, all by himself, thundering down the straight away and into history.
  • Tomassgringo
    January 20, 2012
    Tomassgringo
    Just a typical "feel good" movie.
  • itsjustme2004
    September 26, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    Wonderful wonderful!! Yes it's Disney made. So what?? It's well done, inspiring, and extremely exciting (even though I knew the outcomes, I was still cheering). Diane Lane does a stellar job...as does the entire cast. Great movie to raise anyone's spirit. Kudos!!
  • spielberg00
    August 1, 2011
    spielberg00
    This one was actually a well-inspired (and inspiring) Disney movie. I do not quite think it will actually live on as a classic like all the OLD Disney films, but it's probably the second-best horse movie I've seen, behind SEABISCUIT, of course.
  • hunterjt13
    July 26, 2011
    hunterjt13
    A housewife balances her family life with her commitment to a horse she believes can win the Triple Crown.
    This is a Disney film through and through. Nobody curses, unless you consider "butt" and "shucks" curse words. Everybody smiles a lot. The horse is anthropomorphized. Bu... read moret more damning to the film is few social taboos are challenged. Yes, the theme of a "woman's place" is discussed in the film but not with any serious conviction. There's even this saccharine line in reference to one character's war protests: "Our political convictions may change, but our belief in ourselves won't" (quoted from memory, not verbatim). Talk about avoiding controversy! What upsets me most about Disney, as a company and as a marketeer of culture, is the fact that it makes films that are for "everyone," but they end up being for no one in particular.
    I also wondered about why all of Eddie's "cheering shots" only included him. Is he in the "black section" of the racetrack? Is he in the "person who leads the horse to the starting gate" section? This open question means that film has also deliberately ignored the racial realities of the time, too.
    Diane Lane is sweet and beautiful. The horse looks like a pretty horse. John Malkovich is occasionally funny.
    Overall, the film is well-made, but it's only for those who aren't annoyed by white-washed reality.
  • jamers2011
    May 29, 2011
    jamers2011
    Very good film! Formulaic, but extremely well done. A good live-action film by Disney Pictures, they've had some stinkers, but this was is very good. Cheesy...perhaps a little dramatic and over-the-top, but the story was good and executed brilliantly.

    I liked the cast, partic... read moreularly Diane Lane and John Malkovich...Lane's performance isn't Oscar worthy or anything, but she's such a stunning actress. She carries the film; she's wonderful as the lead character. John Malkovich also gives a good performance. I really liked him as the trainer, Lucien.

    Disney was wise to cast two key roles to great actors, it gives the film alot of worthy credibility.

    I recommend this film. Seabiscuit is probably a better example of a great horse-racing movie, but Secretariat is highly enjoyable and entertaining.
  • DreamExtractor
    April 3, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    A masterpiece, loved it. Diane Lane deserved a Oscar nom for this. This was better than Seabiscuit and really was perfect in every way.
  • c0up
    March 28, 2011
    c0up
    'Secretariat'. A remarkable true story about one housewife defying all odds, and the champion racehorse that is still considered one of the greats.

    A stellar ensemble cast, with the racing action, emotion and energy captured and portrayed brilliantly on screen by Randall Wallace... read more's direction.
  • fb733768972
    February 11, 2011
    fb733768972
    The true story of a horse grow itself into victory lane has never been so memorable. It definitely lacks a few moments of emotion that it should have, but it is saved by great performances and outstandingly intense races. Diane Lane gives a defining performance as Penney Chenery,... read more a woman who loses both family members, in which gives her the opportunity to control her fathers farm and raise a new born horse. This film has wonderfully charm and a story that will have anyone smile. Secretariat delivers!
  • fb100000145236770
    February 9, 2011
    fb100000145236770
    Good movie in the same vein of another classic, "Seabiscuit." John Malkovich steals the movie in some parts, but the best performance is from my favorite leading lady, Diane Lane. I do love me some Diane Lane :-)

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Critic Reviews

Dana Stevens
October 9, 2010
Dana Stevens, Slate

My advice: If you're looking for a nostalgic, inspirational horse-race biopic that doesn't isolate itself completely from economic, historical, and racial reality, go rent Seabiscuit. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
October 8, 2010
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Just how much you enjoy Secretariat, Disney's glossy-coated biopic of the celebrated racehorse, depends in large part on how much you know of his career. If you know zilch, you'll be thrilled. Full Review

Tom Long
October 8, 2010
Tom Long, Detroit News

Secretariat is a winner, but only by a few lengths. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
October 8, 2010
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Secretariat earns its best accolades for asking even larger questions as it highlights the story not just of a terrific horse but of his greatest champion, owner Penny Chenery, portrayed with grace, e... Full Review

Peter Rainer
October 8, 2010
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

The racing scenes, easily the best thing in this otherwise uninspired piece of inspirationalism, come as a distinct relief. Full Review

Richard Roeper
October 8, 2010
Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com

Predictable but thoroughly entertaining and largely accurate story of the greatest racehorse of all time. Full Review

Laremy Legel
October 8, 2010
Laremy Legel, Film.com

The film seeks to honor the memory of the great racehorse, and it largely succeeds. Full Review

Rick Groen
October 8, 2010
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

When the movie climactically reproduces that exhilarating Belmont, the fiction is just a pale shadow of the fact, and the realized myth that lives in our memory dies on the screen. Full Review

Chris Vognar
October 8, 2010
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News

A finely constructed feel-good movie, gorgeous to look at, suspenseful when it's supposed to be and firmly in control of the sports movie archetypes and tropes that it wields like an experienced jocke... Full Review

Manohla Dargis
October 8, 2010
Manohla Dargis, New York Times

It's a pleasurable, seductive fantasy partly because, as we have known from the start of cinema, the sight of a running horse is a beautiful thing. Full Review

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    • Penny Chenery: This is not about going back. This is about life being ahead of you and you run at it! Because you never know how far you can run unless you run.
    • Lucien Laurin: He's slower than a fat man encased in concrete being drug backwards.
    • Penny Chenery: This is not about going back. This is about life being ahead of you and you running at it! You never know where is will take you!
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