"Dreamer" was inspired by a true story, but this is almost completely fiction. But that doesn't matter, if you like to see movies with family values and a happy ending.
Kurt Russell is Ben Crane (not the golfer), a horse trainer who is just scraping by. The movie begins with a budding champion filly racehorse that seems to have a "hot" front leg. Ben doesn't want to run her, but is forced to by his boss (David Morse) who trains horses for a wealthy Prince who wants to beat his brother's horses. Predictably, with the horse leading coming down the homestretch, something goes terribly wrong.
This movie is about a family, and how this tragedy with the horse brought them together. Young Dakota Fanning who plays the daughter Cale Crane, shows again why she is one of the best working, of any age. Her delivery, her gestures, are always just right. Kris Kristofferson is good as her grandfather, Ben's dad "Pop" Crane, and always dependable Elisabeth Shue as her mother Lily.
SPOILERS FOLLOW. The horse fractures a leg bone, there is a terrible tumble on the dirt track, the vet at the track wants to "put her down" but since Cale was present, Ben asked to hold off until later. Ben, very angry that he was made to run her, is fired by his boss who offers him $6Grand in cash to settle his back wages of $9Grand, but Ben bargains to take the $6Grand plus the injured horse. He hoped to breed her to get back his investment. But she turns out non-fertile, another setback for Ben and Cale. But one day with Cale on her back, they get loose and the horse runs and runs. She has healed, they eventually train her to race again, barely get into the breeder's cup, getting the $120Grand entry fees from the other Prince, and win the race.
Kurt Russell is Ben Crane (not the golfer), a horse trainer who is just scraping by. The movie begins with a budding champion filly racehorse that seems to have a "hot" front leg. Ben doesn't want to run her, but is forced to by his boss (David Morse) who trains horses for a wealthy Prince who wants to beat his brother's horses. Predictably, with the horse leading coming down the homestretch, something goes terribly wrong.
This movie is about a family, and how this tragedy with the horse brought them together. Young Dakota Fanning who plays the daughter Cale Crane, shows again why she is one of the best working, of any age. Her delivery, her gestures, are always just right. Kris Kristofferson is good as her grandfather, Ben's dad "Pop" Crane, and always dependable Elisabeth Shue as her mother Lily.
SPOILERS FOLLOW. The horse fractures a leg bone, there is a terrible tumble on the dirt track, the vet at the track wants to "put her down" but since Cale was present, Ben asked to hold off until later. Ben, very angry that he was made to run her, is fired by his boss who offers him $6Grand in cash to settle his back wages of $9Grand, but Ben bargains to take the $6Grand plus the injured horse. He hoped to breed her to get back his investment. But she turns out non-fertile, another setback for Ben and Cale. But one day with Cale on her back, they get loose and the horse runs and runs. She has healed, they eventually train her to race again, barely get into the breeder's cup, getting the $120Grand entry fees from the other Prince, and win the race.