Ride Like a Girl

Ride Like a Girl is a 2019 Australian biographical sports drama film directed by Rachel Griffiths in her feature film directing debut and starring Teresa Palmer and Sam Neill. It is based on the true story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015.

The film is book-ended with documentary footage, which shows at the start Payne as a small girl saying she wants to win the Melbourne Cup and at the end, as a young woman, winning the 'race that stops a nation'. In her memorable victory speech, which was televised live across Australia, she told all the people along the way who had said she could not do it, to “get stuffed”. Griffiths watched the speech at a Cup day barbecue and was inspired to make the film.

Plot
Teresa Palmer plays Michelle Payne, the youngest of ten children of racehorse trainer Paddy Payne, who dreams of becoming a jockey and becomes the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015.

Cast

 * Teresa Palmer as Michelle Payne
 * Summer North as Young Michelle Payne
 * Sam Neill as Paddy Payne
 * Stevie Payne as himself
 * Genevieve Morris as Joan Sadler
 * Brooke Satchwell as Therese Payne
 * Sullivan Stapleton as Darren Weir
 * Magda Szubanski as Sister Dominique
 * Anne Phelan as Sister Mary
 * Zara Zoe as Maree Payne
 * Sophia Forrest as Cathy Payne
 * Shane Bourne as Trevor Smart
 * Dawn Brennan as Wedding Extra
 * Karen Brennan as Wedding Extra
 * Benjamin Bartlett as Wedding Extra
 * Mick Molloy as Bairdy
 * Annaliese Apps as Brigid Payne

Release
Ride Like a Girl was released in Australia on 26 September 2019, and was distributed worldwide by Paramount Home Video on 10 March 2020.

Reception
67% of the 36 reviews compiled on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes are positive, with an average rating of. The website's critics consensus reads: "Ride Like a Girl is far from the subtlest inspirational drama, but its fact-based story and charming cast are just enough to guide it down the stretch." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 47 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".