Date: 2003

Director: Gary Ross

Starring: Jef Bridges, Chris Cooper, Toby Maguire

A horse is a horse of course, but this one’s a prancing tear-duct. Trainer (Chris Cooper), jockey (Toby M), and owner (Jeff Bridges) are the perfect Depression-era triumvirate. Even the horse is broken, making this into an abbreviated history of underdogs. Bad economy, blue citizenry, then suddenly an immaculate creature with a California-sized heart: Who says America’s lame?