The Cup

This Australian horse-racing drama is based on the true story of Damien Oliver (Stephen Curry), a jockey spurred on by personal tragedy to compete for the prestigious Melbourne Cup. Taking its cue from almost every underdog sports movie that came before it, the film unashamedly dives for the heartstrings, to the point where you may find yourself genuinely swept up in the final stages. However, this emotional investment is short-lived, as on the whole the plot forgoes depth and genuine conflict in favour of exhausted clichés. Curry is earnest enough for you to care about his journey, but he's helped enormously by Brendan Gleeson, who has some of the best scenes as the trainer helping the chase for victory. As it romps towards the inevitable feel-good finale, The Cup has just enough legs to take it past the finish line, but you can't help but feel such a remarkable true story deserved better than this.