My review of the film Jappeloup

Went to see Jappeloup last night. Jappeloup is the name of the horse who became a semi-national treasure in France. The story is loosely based on the life of rider Pierre Durand, his family and the other people around him. Pierre Durand is not portrayed as a very likable character, he doesn't respond well to humiliation and defeat which is a bit of a drag in a sport as competitive as show jumping. The more likable hero is the dad played by the always reliable Daniel Auteuil as a man full of optimism with an unfortunate nasty addiction to nicotine. The real hero is the horse Jappeloup, tiny for a show jumper, not a thorough bred but who could fly over obstacles easily because of his small size. It's great family entertainment with a positive message although it went on a little too long for my taste. I would have taken the editors' scissors to some sections and been a little more ruthless in my cuts. Didn't like the choice of banal American songs which were chosen to highlight the more emotional parts of the story except for one sung by Cat Stevens. The photography was beautiful, Guillaume Canet did a good job of portraying a rather petulant, mostly pissed off Pierre Durant while some secondary characters like Raphaele and her dad are simply luminous. The French country side around Bordeaux also looks and feels vibrantly beautiful. I would score it a 3 out of 5.