Secretariat

(2010 d. Randall Wallace)

9.5 out of 10

I never expected to love this.
I even kept putting off seeing it in the theatre, week after week, and almost passed by the dvd.

Old fashioned? Yes. Disney product? Sure.

But there's truth in this movie.

Some things aren't really cliches, they've just become devalued and used with insincerity. Cynicism and snarkiness usually reigns. I ache for a little genuine sincerity and heart. Where even the "corny" lines aren't corny because they actually mean something.

There's no sarcasm here. And I loved it.

Faith, hope, family, determination, success, perserverance, respect.
I cried. I cheered. I was inspired. I was encouraged. I was challenged.

I always believe that much of what makes a movie comes from the goal of the director. If there's something he or she really wants to say or communicate, that elevates the final product even if there are techincal or budget limitations. There were no budget limitations here, the film is beautifully shot, well acted, expertly constructed. But I think Wallace did have things he wanted to say. Some might've looked at the Disney "family film" product as a limitation, but he didn't.

There's kindness in this movie.

Genuinely uplifting - brushing aside the worthless and amplifying those things that edify.

"Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win." I Cor. 9:24

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful." II Tim. 4:7