Aubrey Malone
A still from the movie 'Dream Horse' 
Dream Horse (PG)
In these dark times we need a ‘pick me up’ film to revive our spirits – this is it.
They say nobody can celebrate like the Irish. Is that because we win less things than the bigger nations? As such it means more.
After seeing this wistful elegy to an affectionate little community in ‘the valleys’, I realise we have a competitor in the OTT celebration stakes: Wales.
Toni Collette is Janet, a bartender leading a humdrum life. She decides to breed a racehorse to give herself a reason to get up in the morning. Unfortunately she has no experience in this field…and no money.
She asks her neighbours to chip in to fund her ambition. Her pathologically laidback husband Brian thinks she’s mad, and so do the neighbours. But after some morale-boosting meetings in the local snooker hall they’re up and running. So is the horse which they name Dream Alliance.
I thought its early success was a mistake. It takes some of the juice out of later victories. In these kinds of films it’s mandatory for the horse to lose its first few races, isn’t it?
This one does well from the start. Janet cheers so much I thought her face would crack.
On the other hand it’s refreshing to get a break from the Rocky formula of the ‘slow burning fire’. That’s been done to the death.
The small town syndicate never had it so good but trouble awaits: Dream breaks a leg. What’s to be done? They shoot horses, don’t they? But hardly this one. Not after it’s done so much for them. It’s payback time.
Can an operation get it back on track? Wait and see.
The story is based on fact. Director Euros Lyn captures the pulse of the community with some neat touches. I was reminded of that other valentine to a closely-knit community in Wales, Very Annie Mary. Dream Horse has much of its salty humour – and eccentric characters.
Accent
Collette does the Welsh accent as well as you’d expect her to. She’s always been in the Meryl Streep league as far as accents go.
The film exudes a strong Disney vibe. It will recall National Velvet for viewers of my generation. The ‘realisation of the impossible dream’ formula for lovers of the sport of kings has almost been exhausted by film-makers. Lyn gives it a fresh twist here with his frolicsome cast.
It’s nice to see Sian Phillips among them. She’s from a previous era . I wasn’t even sure if she was still alive. She’s very much so, and still able to whoop it up with the young ‘uns.
I dare you not to be trilling Delilah (preferably out of tune) as the film ends. The group rendition of it outdoes the national anthem. This is sung shortly before at the Welsh Grand National. Katherine Jenkins eat your heart out.
The film is being streamed on Pupamedia.
Very Good ****
