Against-the-odds gambles and the hope for one last chance — these are the dreams that drive horse-racing movies, whether the mood is noir-bleak (The Killing) or feel-good rousing (Seabiscuit). Jockey fits right into that lineage, but what sets it apart is its focus on the working-class realities of the riders, grooms and trainers who travel the smaller […]

Against-the-odds gambles and the hope for one last chance — these are the dreams that drive horse-racing movies, whether the mood is noir-bleak (The Killing) or feel-good rousing (Seabiscuit). Jockey fits right into that lineage, but what sets it apart is its focus on the working-class realities of the riders, grooms and trainers who travel the smaller circuits, far from the glamour and money of the Triple Crown.

Writer-director Clint Bentley is the son of a jockey, and his feel for the milieu and its denizens informs every aspect of the intimate drama. As two long-timers eyeing potential breakthroughs in middle age, Clifton Collins Jr. and Molly Parker deliver beautifully tempered turns, with fine support from Moises Arias in the role of an up-and-comer with a mournful gaze.