The only review that mattered to Stephen Curry for his role as Damien Oliver was a winner.
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Curry steps into Oliver's shoes for the most tumultuous period in the champion jockey's life in The Cup and he rated Oliver's approval as paramount.
The Cup traces Oliver's decision to ride, and win, the 2002 Melbourne Cup just days after his brother Jason died in a racing fall.
Speaking at the film's world premiere in Melbourne, Curry said he was a bundle of nerves sitting alongside Oliver during the first private screening.
''I was watching half me and half him, and for an actor for the first time you watch your film, it's very rare that you're not watching yourself the whole time,'' he said.
''We all shed a tear, it is a pretty emotional story. His feedback, his review is the only one that matters and it was really positive.
''It's about respecting the memory of Jason Oliver ... Oliver loved it and said Jason would've loved it.''
Both Oliver and Curry were among the 1000-strong crowd at the film's premiere at Camberwell's Rivoli Cinema yesterday. Oliver said it was a bizarre experience to watch a traumatic piece of his life unfold on the big screen.
''It's kind of weird ... it couldn't be any more emotional than actually living through it, but every time I do see vision of it, it really brings it back home to me,'' he said. The two-time Melbourne Cup winner said he and Curry struck up a friendship on the back of the film.
''He came around to our home to visit us, he came to the races with us, we took him to the barrier trials and we became good friends,'' Oliver said.
''He does a great job.''
But while he's impressed with Curry's performance, Oliver still has questions about his ability to handle a horse.
''As a a jockey he makes a good actor,'' Oliver joked.
Curry himself admitted the horse riding had been a major challenge.
''Whenever I had to go on the set and ride a horse, it was a horrible day,'' he said.
''I'd love to say that I got into the swing of things and say I became a horse lover, but there's not much love going either way unfortunately.''
