Secretariat

Advance screening of Disney's Secretariat in Norris Cinema Theater on Thursday 9/16 for Maltin's CTCS 466.

Overall Grade: C

• Story: Just develops way too slowly and fails to maintain interest... and the dialogue is too often corny and overdramatic.
  
  
• Acting: Diane Lane is probably perfect in the role of Penny Chenery, but brings nothing new to the table. Malkovich, too, plays a very "John Malkovich" character-- albeit French--who's at least much more fun to watch on screen. Maybe Disney's move was to increase the stock of AJ Michalka (as the daughter--and artist behind the film's credit song!), but she's laughably awful.
  
  
• Cinematography: The color and lighting is great, and the horse-racing sequences are beautiful (and original-- e.g. the slow-mo and track shots).
  
  
• Sound: Nothing much to speak of... the music during the final race at the Preakness is memorable.