F1 – The Movie – Review – A great watch!
Table of Contents
My Rating – 4 out of 5
Plot Summary – F1 – The Movie
Another movie on cars, racing, and a fading superstar Brad Pitt at the center of it…. Yawn! That’s how I went to watch this film. That too in 4DX – meaning extra ticket money to roll with (literally) the action on the screen in front!! But a few minutes in, I was hooked, some more, and I was cheering for the aging hero of this film. The typical underdog, the potential star past his prime, was rocking and carrying the film on his broad shoulders. Along with a somewhat rookie cast (except for Javier Bardem), the film manages to punch far above its collective weight.
The story is not unique; it doesn’t break conventions of Hollywood’s stereotypical storytelling. But what it does is add a lot of heart to it. In the guise of arrogance, a shrewd brain is revealed – that of a consummate gambler – where the benefits of a move outweigh the risks. A strategy that is good when it works, not when it fails. And like a gamble, it fails more often than it succeeds. But it is those moments of sweet success that make it worth the risk. I guess, so is most of life, at least for those who don’t mind coloring outside the line.
Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) crashed out of a Grand Prix 30 years ago and never returned. Once full of potential and a future superstar, he crashed and burned – literally. Down and out on luck, he now races a Porsche in sports car circuits e.g., Daytona. One day, an ex-racing colleague, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), comes calling, with an interesting offer for Sonny. Sonny should come for an audition with Ruben’s F1 team – Apex GP, and if he makes it through, he’ll be their second driver, behind upcoming star Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). Sonny feigns indifference but the fierce competitor in him signals a chance at redemption for himself.
Of course, Sonny kills the audition and joins Apex GP as their second driver, but he makes it clear that he will race in his own way, like it or not. Now, Apex GP is under a looming cloud of a sellout. They have no points in the championship after nine races, and if they don’t do well, the company will be taken away from Ruben. In this backdrop, Sonny is their proverbial ‘Hail Mary’, if he can turn their fortunes around, Ruben and his team will live to see another day.
A lot of things are wrong with the Apex GP team – their main driver, Joshua, is a prima donna, keen on his social media fame – less so on his actual driving. Their car is faulty, made for average racing, not for aggression. The team doesn’t play together; they’d rather pander to the fancies of their numero uno driver, Joshua. Sonny is here to shake things up, and that doesn’t go too well with the rest of the team. Only the team’s Technical Director, Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon) is willing to listen to his crazy plans and reluctantly agrees to do as Sonny suggests.
Sonny is a maverick – no allusion to its director, Joseph Kosinski, who also directed Top Gun – Maverick, but in the true sense of the word. He gambles with race strategies, bordering on the illegal, to win a few advantages. It’s a risky ploy, costing an already beleaguered company millions in damages. But Ruben trusts Sonny to pull him out of this financial quagmire – one miracle to help him survive. The vultures are circling, and Apex GP is on the brink. Then Sonny’s unconventional methods start showing results!
Conclusion – F1 – The Movie
It’s about the performances that hold you; everything else is routine – the CGI, the breathtaking racing sequences, the clever use of F1 racing loopholes etc. Brad Pitt enthralls, Damson Idris as the rookie but upcoming star is more than competent. Javier Bardem is brooding and exasperated at Sonny’s theatrics to win an edge. The rest of the ensemble cast deliver great performances. Overall, the film reminds you that talent doesn’t always win you laurels; perseverance always does. If there was ever any affirmation required to the power of the underdog, it is here. Persist, progress, and prosper. F1 – The Movie is a must-watch!!
*I hope you have enjoyed reading this movie review as much as I have enjoyed writing this review! Please watch this space for more reviews and navigate through the links below for any additional information. Thank you! *
Is it based on a true story?
I don’t know much about this topic 😛
No, it’s not a true story. But you’ll like it nonetheless!
Oh, I love Javier so I want to see it! Great review!
Then you must watch it! He’s wonderful in this film!!
I’m on the lookout for it. Thanks!