Check out this overlooked gem on Netflix!
Here’s one for all the horse girls and horse boys out there. If you missed the overlooked 2005 Kurt Russell vehicle Dreamer, Netflix has you covered. The movie just hit the streaming platform today and it’s a great movie for the whole family to settle down and watch. Or for the adult who just wants a good horse movie with Kurt Russell in it.
Although Dreamer isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind with innovative structure and filmmaking, it does tell a heartwarming tale that’s based on a true story. In Dreamer, Kurt Russell plays a horse trainer by the name of Ben Crane. Though he’s a well-meaning father to his daughter Cale (Dakota Fanning), he often has trouble making a connection with her. When a horse named Soñador breaks its leg after a race, Ben offers to adopt her rather than let her owner (David Morse) put her down. Cale and Ben work together to train the horse and get it back into racing shape.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted movie amongst these darker times, Dreamer might just be the escape you need. Kurt Russell shines as always in his role as a caring dad. A young Dakota Fanning also shows why she was the go-to kid actress for a lot of movies around this era. The cast is rounded out by Kris Kristofferson as the grandpa, Elisabeth Shue, David Morse, Luis Guzman, Oded Fehr, and more. The movie resonated well enough with the audiences, scoring a 64% from critics and a 78% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Since this movie is rated PG, you can feel plenty comfortable putting it on for people of all ages. It’s entertaining enough for kids and adults alike.
When we say Dreamer was overlooked, that definitely isn’t an understatement. At the box office, it hardly made an impression. The movie ended up grossing about $38.7 million worldwide against a $32 million budget. As far as profit goes, this definitely isn’t Kurt Russell’s finest hour. The movie was also the sole directing effort of John Gatins, who took on writing duties. Gatins would go on to do much better numbers in the future with writing credits for Real Steel, Flight, Kong: Skull Island, and more. Even his other 2005 writing credit, the Samuel L Jackson-starring Coach Carter got much more attention from audiences.
If you’re in the camp that enjoys Kurt Russell in his more family-friendly roles, Dreamer isn’t your only option on Netflix right now. If you’re in the mood for something festive and you haven’t gotten over Christmas passing by, you can see him as Santa Claus himself in The Christmas Chronicles and The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two. If you prefer Kurt Russell’s badass side or action side, you can check out Stargate or The Hateful Eight. But definitely make sure that kids aren’t watching the latter with you.
If you’re looking forward to more Kurt Russell roles in the future, you might just be out of luck. In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment around the release of The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two, director Chris Colombus mentioned that Russell wanted it to be his last role. He did have a very minor role in 2021’s F9: The Fast Saga and some brief voice cameos Marvel’s What If…? but there’s nothing announced for future roles at this point. If Kurt Russell is truly deciding to retire, other than minor and cameo roles, all we have now are his past roles, so fans should watch as many as possible.
Dreamer might not be the best or most notable Kurt Russell film in the world, but a good Kurt Russell performance is always worth tuning in for. Plus, everyone loves a good comeback story, especially if it’s about a horse. And, as mentioned, Dakota Fanning does a great job too. She’s not retiring anytime soon it seems, as she has two TV shows and a movie on the docket for 2022 and beyond. If you want to see these two team up for a breezy watch and a family-friendly romp, you can hop on Netflix and check it out now. Since it’s just now hitting the platform, you should have plenty of time to check it out before it gets cycled through the available Netflix movies.
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