Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Catherina If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

[email protected] What is this 4.4 rating by 2348 users? Where did this come from? Not enough car chases? This is a good movie, well written. One could criticize a bit a sort of awkwardness or heaviness in the technical aspect of movie making, due to a first film or an approach maybe too theatrical, but the directing is good. It plainly deserves a minimum of 6.5 for its artistic value. Maybe Matthew Warchus is more a stage director and too keen on good directing than finding a picturesque way with images to illustrate something he has already staged.If films about horses are to be considered, "Simpatico" is much better than "Dead Heat" (rated 5.3), different from "Seabiscuit" (rated 7.3) because it does not carry hope against odds being more of a drama about betrayal, and better than the totally unrealistic "Hidalgo" (rated 6.6) who has never been in the Sahara, but it does show a chase.Why consider it as a film about horses? Because it also is a film about a horse, magnificent as opposed to human behavior in this story, as far as the only pure character in this movie, named by its title, is the horse Simpatico, and maybe this is the side that should have been enhanced more in opposition with the corruption of all this human horse-racing scam, since human perversion finally kills him, and what's more, because he his becoming sterile. Maybe the overall realism, that had to be detailed more in the movie than the play, brought too many necessary plot details that might have obscured the existence of the character Simpatico, although every time we see him, his beauty reminds us of his existence as metaphor, metaphor that might have been more powerful on the stage, just by being permanent but never visible.I suggest a 6.5 as a minimum.

alanarcadia Why doesn't Catherine Keener get any credit for this film? Is it because Sharon Stone is blonde? Keener has the third largest role in the film yet is nearly invisible in the credits, on the box, in the comments on this site, etc. Sharon Stone has about five lines. No offense to Sharon Stone but I'm not sure what the big deal about her is, especially in this film. I thought Keener was really good as the ethical, somewhat naive person getting involved with people whose motivations and backgrounds were not necessarily as simple as hers. I think Sharon Stone got top billing for being Sharon Stone, not for anything she did in this film.Maybe Catherine Keener should bleach her hair... (joke)

Jugu Abraham This is not a great film but it deserves some attention.I am an admirer of Sam Shepard the writer, not necessarily the actor. And even though his contribution to the film is not direct, his subjects make an impact on me. I am surprised the director did not involve him in the screenplay. Of course, Shepard is more a playwright than a screenplaywriter...I loved all the main players, especially Sharon Stone. She had a small role that was impressive.The camerawork of John Toll always impresses; this film was no exception.One thing was clear; the direction lacked experience--but for a first film, the output is creditable.

Bob Stern I like Jeff Bridges tremendously, so I'll watch anything with him in. But this film has so many loose ends, you could make a ragrug.Good acting by all, but a good dollop of suspension of disbelief is necessary with so many unlikely events or inconclusive nuances of the plot. Vinnie and his girlfriend checking into the same hotel and not knowing it. What was that all about? And what was Carter arranging with Simms anyway even before Vinnie turns up from the past?The central premise seemed to be Simms's reconciliation with the past - forgive and forget. Very good, but this wasn't developed enough. Okay Carter throws it all away through guilt and wants the simple life again. But it's not believable. They can't be nineteen again.It should have been filmed in the European style - slow and ponderous would have been so much better. But this version is too clipped and compromised with modern moviegoers tastes. Stone is very very good. Nice to see Nolte in rags again, it's his forte. Jeff is sleepwalking though. New girl terrific. Does she go back to Vinnie in the end or go with Simms? I think it's back to Vinnie. It almost works - I like movies that exercise the mind and leave loose ends to speculate on. But without the basic substance, loose ends is all Simpatico has.