Racing drama an emotional gallop
Jockey (M, 94 mins) Directed by Clint Bentley Reviewed by James Croot ★★★★
Time may finally be catching up with Jackson Silva (Clifton Collins Jr). Breaking his back three times hasn’t deterred him from continuing to saddle up, but an issue with his whipping hand is causing him significant discomfort.
Urged by his horses’ doctor that perhaps he should ‘‘go see a real one for himself’’, Jackson fears what any diagnosis may mean for his already faltering career.
Young buck Gabriel Boulliet (Moises Arias) is now dominating the big races and, to Jackson’s surprise and annoyance, eager to assail his elder with a barrage of questions. Then, when the kicker comes – Gabriel claiming to be Jackson’s son – the veteran laughs it off as a joke.
As the anger turns to selfloathing and reflection, there’s also suddenly hope. His old friend, trainer Ruth Wilkes (Molly Parker) has decided to take the plunge into horse ownership. Staking her reputation on a yearling nobody wanted – Dido’s Lament – Ruth believes Jackson is just the rider to help unlock its potential. But can he get both himself and Dido’s Lament into competitive shape for a shot at the big time?
Fans of inspiring equine tales like Seabiscuit and Secretariat will lap up director and co-writer Clint Bentley’s debut feature.
There’s an authenticity and intimate, almost claustrophobic, feel about the cinematography of the riding, racing and track scenes that make you feel transported to the centre of the action.
Likewise, Bentley and fellow writer Greg Kwedar’s decision to use people they ‘‘found’’ around the racetracks of Phoenix as their supporting cast (a la Jason Reitman’s use of recently redundant salespeople in 2009’s Up in the Air) is a masterstroke.
It grounds the dialogue and discussions in reality and makes Jackson and Ruth’s travails even more poignant. That’s to take nothing away from Parker (Netflix’s House of Cards and Lost in Space) and Collins Jr (Westworld).
They deliver the performances of their careers and Collins Jr deservedly took home the Special Jury Award for Best Actor at last year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Arguably horse racing’s answer to 2008 Mickey Rourke-starrer The Wrestler, Jockey is an emotional ride that builds to a truly intensely focused final few moments that will leave a mark.