50 to 1

I absolutely LOVED everything about "50 to 1." I drove from Illinois to Kentucky to see the cross-country tour they were doing to promote the movie. The added bonus was that I got to see the movie on the big screen while I was there. My only regret is that I could only watch it once before I had to leave Kentucky. Christian Kane is such an amazing actor. He is so versatile and was absolutely perfect for the part of Mark Allen. Skeet Ulrich is also one of my favorites, and his portrayal of Chip Woolley is fantastic. Todd Lowe added a lot of humor to the movie. Seriously, I want to thank Jim Wilson and Faith Conroy for fighting so hard to get this story told and out to the fans. They choose the perfect cast. In addition to the actors I mentioned above, William Devane, Madelyn Deutch,and Hugo Perez all did a fabulous job. It is nice to see a feel-good movie based on a true story and something the whole family can enjoy. I wish I could give "50 to 1" 100 stars!!

"The losing streak is over. You just have to have a little faith." Chip Woolley (Ulrich) is a horse trainer that is having a hard time making ends meet. When he asks Mark (Kane), his old friend, for a job he is sent off to look at a new racehorse to buy. When he comes back with Mine That Bird things don't go as planned. I have stated many times that I am a sucker for sports movies. Any type of sports movie. I am not a horse racing fan at all and have never actually seen a race on TV or otherwise. I do have to admit that having said that I have really liked Seabiscuit, Secretariat, and even The Cup. I would add this movie to the list as well. This has tenseness and heart. The acting is surprisingly good for a lower budget movie and I really enjoyed this. There are a few fights in this but this is a pretty decent family movie and I recommend it. Overall, a movie that not just fans of horse racing will like. I did. I surprisingly give this a B+.

I love this movie. It's like "Secretariat" with cowboys! Perhaps my opinion is biased since I live in Roswell where Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird resides in luxury. The actors/director/crew really caught the feel of rural New Mexico. The script is an intelligent homage to the underdog. Skeet Ulrich is uncanny as the trainer--every movement and stance was perfectly natural as a cowboy. William Devane is the closest to owner Doc Blach anyone could be! And Christian Kane's quirky humor and physicality help embody the oil-rich, bad boy owner, who champions two underdogs--a down-and-out trainer and an unknown horse. But it's the supporting cast that fleshes out the film and makes it a winner. I rate this film excellent in that it's fun to watch; it makes the audience cheer; and it never condescends to the average people behind the scenes of any champion. Kids will love this movie, but parents will appreciate its messages. Ten feel-good hugs.

As the granddaughter of the real-life Doc Blach I was THRILLED with the movie! The characters were genuine, heartfelt, and really told our family's story in a way that honored that whole experience. When it came time for the actual Kentucky Derby the whole theater was cheering, clapping, and hollering as if the real race was being ran again. It was truly remarkable and I can't wait to see it again! This movie did a great job of showing what the little man can do, and that in this beautiful country we call home - anything can happen. Mine That Bird is a horse that can give all of us encouragement to keep working hard, and to never, ever give up!

Just saw the movie tonight and it was worth the wait. I love horses and horse racing, they have definitely gotten into my blood since I was a boy. Their beauty, their speed and their heart and courage. Mine That Bird was like a blue collar worker in the midst of horses that were high profile aristocrats. Didn't have the beauty but he had everything else. And that's what counted in the end.

I've read a number of mean-spirited put-downs of the horse and of the film by viewers (or just detractors) who think he wasn't worth making a movie about. They don't seem to understand why people would celebrate a horse who ran his heart out every time and accomplished amazing things even though his win/loss record doesn't seem to indicate greatness. True, he didn't win another race after the Derby, but they fail to recognize that he ran 2nd in the Preakness and 3rd in the Belmont, finishing in the money in all three Triple Crown races. It takes an extraordinary athlete to achieve that over 5 grueling weeks of racing. How many horse owners and trainers can make that claim? Every racehorse peaks at some point and then begins to lose its speed and stamina over time. MTB is no different from any other racehorse in that regard. He just peaked higher than many other horses ever will, so the decline naturally seemed greater.

The movie makers did a great job of giving us the back story of MTB and his owners and trainer. It was hard to know how much of the account was doctored up or exaggerated to sell it better, but they got the essentials right and made us care about the main characters and the horse. My only criticism would be of the way they portrayed Bob Baffert as pompous and arrogant. My impression of him based on interviews and on comments he's made is that he's as competitive as they come, but more generous of spirit than many of the others as well, certainly not the dismissive person the movie made him out to be.

I was actually not a MTB fan at the time of the Triple Crown races. Rachel Alexandra was/is my favorite and I definitely cheered for her and celebrated her win over MTB in the Preakness. But over time I did learn to appreciate what he did over the course of his career and I now have a soft spot in my heart for him as well. To the film makers I say 'thanks' for making a movie that left me in tears at the end. To those who think the movie was a waste of time and money, greatness doesn't mean you always finish first. It's also measured by what's in your heart.