Racing Dreams (2010)

Content by Tony Macklin. Originally published on May 13, 2010 @ Fayetteville Free Weekly.

Racing Dreams -- or Chariots of Tire -- is a niche documentary about three young Kart race drivers who aspire to some day be NASCAR champions.

The more addicted you are to going round and round, the more you'll relate to Racing Dreams. As Tina, one mother, says -- she's bored by baseball and doesn't understand it, but "racing is an addiction, and we got it bad."

The three fresh-faced cherubs are 13-year old Brandon, who competes in senior class racing, and junior class competitors 12-year old Josh and 11-year old Annabeth.

Brandon is the bad boy with a temper -- and the press notes say the story is "part Catcher in the Rye." But I knew Holden Caulfield, and Brandon, you're no Holden.

Michigander Josh seems more like he will be head of the Chamber of Commerce than a racing superstar. His roomful of carefully-arranged trophies is both impressive and depressing.

Annabeth is fetching as the feisty female dreamer.

New Yorker, director Marshall Curry trods into foreign territory, and has the keen eye of a visitor. But his film smacks of being too much of a home movie. And the kids' narration and commentary sometimes seems practiced.

But for those whose church is in Talladega, it won't matter.

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