Racing stripes (2005) [ENG/ESP]
Published on HivePostify by @yaslenysofia · Mon Aug 31 2026
ENGLISH
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Greetings @Movies&Tvshows community…
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Last week I recommended an animated film where the main song is sung by Hayden Panettiere, the beloved actress who recently passed away; this time, I'm bringing you a film starring her, one that I really enjoyed, and if you've never seen it, now's the time to do so.
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[Source](https://www.imdb.com/es/title/tt0376105/mediaviewer/rm1107924992/?ref=ttmimi3)
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Racing stripes
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Known in Latin America as Rayas, a fast zebra, it premiered in 2005 as a children's film directed by Frederick Du Chau and starring Bruce Greenwood, Michael Clarke Duncan, Hayden Panettiere, Dustin Hoffman, among others.
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[Source](https://www.imdb.com/es/title/tt0376105/mediaviewer/rm1124702208/?ref=ttmimi2)
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What's the plot about?…
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The story begins when a nighttime storm leaves behind a very unusual newborn, who is rescued by a former racehorse trainer, Nolan Walsh, and his daughter Channing, who are grieving the loss of his wife and mother. This newborn is a zebra, whom young Channing adopts and names Stripes; this little one grows up firmly believing that he belongs to the dazzling world of thoroughbred horses, since they raise racehorses on the neighboring farm.
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Ignoring the fact that his striking black and white stripes make him completely different from the others, this intrepid and naive protagonist becomes obsessed with a single idea: to become the fastest animal on the track and compete in the most dazzling race in the country. However, the road to the finish line is not easy, because to fulfill his dream, he must defy the arrogance of the stuffy, upper-class horses, overcome the fears of the human family that took him in, and earn everyone's respect through sheer heart and courage. Will he manage to compete in a race? What obstacles will he have to overcome to fulfill his dream?
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[Source](https://www.imdb.com/es/title/tt0376105/mediaviewer/rm1091147776/?ref=ttmimi11)
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Personal opinion
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The way I came across this movie was basically when my dad bought us DVDs. Sometimes they had buy-one-get-one deals, so on that occasion, there weren't many options, or most of them had already been seen. We chose this one because it seemed like something to watch. I ended up really loving it because a zebra interested in horse racing? That's not something you see every day, is it? Anyway, that unusual premise turned out to be entertaining, plus the characters were so charismatic. The dynamic between the farm and the racetrack works wonderfully, especially with Tucker the pony and Buzz and Ruffles the flies, who provide some memorable comedic moments.
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Of course, we can't forget Channing and Nolan; they're the kind of characters who give the film a real emotional anchor: the loss of a mother and the father's fear that his daughter will suffer the same fate add dramatic weight amidst all the laughter from talking animals. Despite being entertaining, it does have its flaws, such as the typical ending one might expect in these stories, which hasn't aged particularly well. The mix of real animals with digitally animated mouths also didn't always work; at times it looks quite artificial.
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Stripes teaches us that you don't need to fit into the mold that society (or the stuffy upper-class types) has designed to be successful; it tells us to embrace what makes us different and use it as our greatest strength. At the same time, the story leaves us with a beautiful lesson about healing grief as a family and learning to let go of fear so that the people we love can pursue their own passions.
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[Source](https://www.imdb.com/es/title/tt0376105/mediaviewer/rm1141479424/?ref=ttmimi1)
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Positive points…
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- Great voice cast and humor: Hilarious supporting characters (like Tucker the pony or the flies) keep the film's pace light. - Memorable characters: It's truly a film that won't be easily forgotten, as the theme of a zebra wanting to compete in horse races is quite unusual. - Human emotional depth: The subplot of the family conflict between father and daughter gives the story a genuine and mature heart. - Powerful message: It promotes self-acceptance, the value of diversity, and perseverance in the face of prejudice.
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[Source](https://www.imdb.com/es/title/tt0376105/mediaviewer/rm1242142720/?ref=ttmimi31)
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Negative points…
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- Highly predictable plot: It follows the traditional formula point by point, without surprises or unexpected twists. - Dated CGI: The visual effects used to move the mouths of real animals look artificial today. - Stereotypical villains: The rival horses and human antagonists are one-dimensional and fall into "arrogant upper-class" clichés.
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[Source](https://www.imdb.com/es/title/tt0376105/mediaviewer/rm1309251584/?ref=ttmimi21)
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My score…
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6.5/10 Story │ 8/10 Acting │ 7/10 Sound │ 7/10 Set and Production Design │ 7/10 Overall
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Stripes is a highly enjoyable, honest, and nostalgic family film that doesn't aim to be a masterpiece, but manages to be endearing.
Tags: #movie#review#film#filmreview#waivio#racingstripes#pob#neoxian