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It's pretty tough these days to find movies that are suitable for viewing by the whole family without being puerile or saccharine. But Dreamer is just that, a skillfully assembled film that takes familiar elements and puts a fresh spin on them. Veteran trainer Ben Crane (Kurt Russell), working for a wealthy but obnoxious racehorse owner (David Morse), quits his job and accepts as part of his severance agreement a once-promising filly named Sonador, who has been sidetracked by a broken leg. Ben's daughter, Cale (Dakota Fanning), has taken a fancy to the animal and believes Sonador (Spanish for "Dreamer") can regain her form and resume racing. Ben isn't so sure, but as a lark he makes Cale the filly's legal owner, a responsibility she takes very seriously. Based on the real-life story of Mariah's Storm, winner of the 1995 Turfway Breeders' Cup, Dreamer is everything you might expect from such movies; it shamelessly tugs on the heartstrings and builds to a predictable climax. But the script has a little more bite than most of this type, and the actors bring more personality and spirit to their characterizations than the plot demands. Elisabeth Shue, playing the supportive wife and mother, is underused, and Kris Kristofferson growls a bit too much as Ben's crusty father -- but overall the cast really shines in this picture. It's a film that consistently exceeds expectations, like Sonador herself. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A man and his young daughter face almost impossible odds as they struggle to help an injured horse return to the racetrack in this family-friendly drama. Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) is a horse trainer whose career has gone into a bit of a slump, and after years as his own boss, he's signed on to work for Palmer (David Morse), a breeder whose wealth and success has given him a certain degree of arrogance. While Ben has learned to keep his mouth shut around his boss, he forgets himself when one of his favorite horses, Sonador, breaks its leg during an important race. Palmer insists that the horse should be put down on the spot, but Ben doesn't have the heart to kill the animal, especially since his young daughter, Cale (Dakota Fanning), is in the stands watching. Ben and Palmer have harsh words with one another, and Ben is fired, but is allowed to take Sonador with him when he leaves. Ben has a hard time convincing anyone that the injured horse has any potential, especially his father, Pop (Kris Kristofferson), a fellow trainer who rarely sees eye to eye with his son. But Cale loves the horse, and Ben believes that Sonador can make a comeback with the right care, and together with stable men Balon (Luis Guzman) and Manolin (Freddy Rodriguez), he sets out to put the filly on the road to recovery. As its subtitle suggests, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story was based on the story of Mariah's Storm, a filly who broke a leg during a race in 1993, but a year later came back to win the Arlington Heights Oaks, and in 1995 won the Turfway Breeder's Cup. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 678149197624
• Source: DREAMWORKS VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Language: Franįais
• Time: 1:46:00
• Sales Rank: 17,787

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Charlotte's Web (2006) / Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
• Charlotte's Web (2006) / Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story

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