Racing Stripes (PG)
Posted by James on Tue, 25 Jan 2005.
Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Frankie Muniz, Hayden Panettiere
I really didn't know what to expect from this film and will admit to feeling a little bit silly going to see it. Well I saw it, and it isn't that bad. It isn't the greatest film I have ever seen, and yes it is slightly predictable, but when all said and done, yes it was entertaining.
The film starts with a circus making its way through a thunderstorm, and during some frantic repairs in the heavy rain to one of their vehicles they leave behind a baby zebra (voiced by Frankie Muniz). "Stripes" as he is called later, is discovered by "Nolan Walsh" (played by Bruce Greenwood) who you learn was once a champion thoroughbred trainer, but has given up horse training for a quiet life with his daughter Channing (Hayden Panettiere) on their modest Kentucky farm. Their farm happens to be next to a racecourse (Turfway Racetrack), and "Stripes" has dreams of becoming a racehorse, not realising that he is a zebra. Channings employer is Clara Dalrymple (Wendie Malick) who happens to own the racetrack, and after a brief clash of personalities a challenge is set giving "Stripes" the chance to race. The scene is set!
The unmistakeable voices of Dustin Hoffman (Tucker) and Whoopi Goldberg (Franny) seemed a little awkward at first, but once the film got started you couldn't help but like it. There are plenty of "in" jokes for everyone and some of them work, and some don't (oddly enough, mainly Snoop Dogs lines, but I'm sure there will be those who disagree). While I was watching this film I couldn't help but to make comparisons with "National Velvet", "Babe", and when the different training techniques were shown, "Rocky".
If you like to see films where the underdog (underzebra?) comes out on top, then yes you'll probably like it..and yes, ok, I enjoyed it.
Many Thanks to Leicester Odeon for letting us review "Racing Stripes"
