OFF TO THE RACES //A FILM REVIEW OF "DREAM HORSE"

BY MATEO MORENO

Based on a true story of an unlikely partnership in a small Welsh town, DREAM HORSE is the kind of film that you know all the beats going in, can predict the ending by just watching the trailer and still it ends up sweeping you away due to its charm. Jan Vokes (Toni Collette) lives in a small Welsh mining village where she pours drinks at a local pub when she's not pulling shifts as a cashier in a supermarket. She feels that she's slowing watching her life slip past her. Her husband Brian (Owen Teale) is a couch potato, seemingly content with watching television and living a modest, boring life. But Jan has bigger dreams. She wants to own a horse, a racing horse to be exact. Both her and her husband have long loved animals but they've long thought anything bigger than a couple of household animals wasn't possible. That is, until it becomes possible.

She holds a meeting and asks her fellow neighbors to "pitch in" and become co-owners of a mare. She ends up attracting more than a few interested parties, including Howard (Damian Lewis), a man who has experience in exactly what she wants to do, but also nearly lost his wife (Joanna Page) and house due to his tendency to gamble. Along with a random mix of her fellow townsfolk, they buy a horse and together create their new great racing hope: Dream Alliance and suddenly they are the most unexpected thing to happen to racing in a long while. Director Euros Lyn knows all the right beats to play and knows that he doesn't need to reinvent the wheel here. He simply has to tell a rousing, crowd pleasing story. And he succeeds quite well. Toni Collette is wonderful as always and as her husband, Owen Teale softly switches from a boring house husband to Jan's biggest supporter and cheerleader. The love between them feels authentic and pure, one that's been built up for decades yes is still finding moments to surprise each other. Damian Lewis plays a much quieter character than he's used to and it suits him well. Much like Teale, he transforms the character you think he is into someone quite different, someone you can truly root for. Joanna Page is wonderful as his wife, as is the rest of the colorful supporting cast. It's quite clear how the race is going to end, but DREAM HORSE keeps it thrilling all the way to the final race and you'll find yourself beaming inside, delighted that this warm hug of a film has found its way into your life.

GRADE: B+

WRITTEN BY Neil McKay DIRECTED BY Euros Lyn STARRING Toni Collette, Damian Lewis, Owen Teale, Siân Phillips, Karl Johnson, Joanna Page, Nicholas Farrall. NOW PLAYING IN SELECT THEATRES. FOR MORE INFO: DREAM HORSE