With a heart almost three times the normal size, racehorse Secretariat achieved a record-breaking 31-length win in the final leg of America's Triple Crown and became a legend in the 1970s. Even so, the thrills and spills of horse racing are downplayed here, as director Randall Wallace aims for something wholesome and uplifting. What we're left with instead is a cold, though good-looking true-life story of Penny Chenery (Diane Lane), a wealthy housewife who overcame naysayers and financial worries to promote her father's champion colt. John Malkovich provides welcome comedy relief as the flamboyant trainer Lucien Laurin and Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette in hit HBO series True Blood) supplies the much-needed emotional centre with his quiet and sincere portrayal of the horse's groom. Ultimately though, this tepid look at the creation of a sporting legend cannot compete with the drama and visual impact of the real racing footage. Secretariat's story still feels untold.

Housewife and mother Penny Chenery agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery - with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin - manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years.