F1: A Great Racing Film and an Adrenaline Rush

As I left the theater I came away feeling, "Wow! That was fun." The iconic riff from Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" set the tone and the thrills never let up. Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun Maverick). Perfect casting for every role in the lineup, stellar cinematography and a masterfully crafted screenplay conspire to knock your socks off. 

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

The four main characters are skillfully developed. Each has an distinct identity and a personal quest. Their destinies will rise or fall based on their success or failure in achieving their personal ambitions... as a team. 

Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was himself once a promising F1 future star in the 90s, but a traumatic crash cut his career short. He hasn't quit racing, but it's on a lesser scale.  When Ruben Cervantes (Bardem) seeks him out to return to Formula One racing, Hayes now has an opportunity to become one of the sport's elite drivers. 

Cervantes has two aims. His primary aim, after nine years of failure, is to win a championship. If he fails at this, his board of directors will pull the plug on their racing program. He second aim is to have his promising young future star Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) to awaken to his full potential as a driver by learning from Hayes's experience and example.

EdNote: I love the name Cervantes. Has Bardem's character been "tilting at windmills" these past nine years? Is he pursuing an impossible dream?

The fourth critical component in the fictional APXGP Formula 1 team's success is technical director Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), the team's chief tactician and strategist. Her driving motivation is to prove herself as a trailblazing woman in a male-dominated sport, optimizing the team’s car and strategy to achieve a Grand Prix victory. She also plays the role of mediating conflicts between Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pearce, no small task in itself.

Put all these ingredients together is and you have an electrifying story.

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This past few years we've. been treated to two other superb racing-infused films: Ford v. Ferarri and Ferarri. Each is carried along by its own unique storyline, and F1 is no different. In each story there is something at stake. Ferarri features Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz, at a critical juncture in the future of their company and their relationship. Ford v Ferarri features Christian Bale as driver Ken Miles and Matt Damon as the legendary Carroll Shelby. Can Ford break into the Ferrari-dominated Formula One orbit? Corporate interference, technical challenges and personal battles must all be overcome.

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Gold & Black: There was a lot to like for me personally in this film. For starters, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem has been two of my favorite actors. With Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm, it seemed almost a certainty that this film was not going to crash and burn. The team's Gold and Black cars had a special meaning for me. When I first joined Cub Scouts, circa 1960, my dad painted my first Pinewood Derby car gold and black. The next three years I painted my cars yellow and black. That last year, my yellow and black car took third place in the Pinewood Derby, a car I built myself. But it's that first car, the gold and black one my father made for me, that I wish I still had today.

Another memory from my childhood was a game called Mille Bornes, which is French for "a thoughsand milestones." It was a card came based on Formula One racing. We also had a Formula One board game. While dirt track racing held a big appeal for us, it was the Indy 500 that brought us nearer to the European racing scene.

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F1 has many classic subplots, most significantly the rookie versus the veteran storyline. I couldn't help think of Jack London's story "A Piece of Steak" which highlights this theme. London's story highlights the career of Tom King, an aging Australian boxer facing poverty and hunger as he prepares for a crucial match against a younger, fitter opponent named Sandel. King, unable to afford proper food, reflects on his past glory and the brutal toll of his career, knowing that a piece of steak could give him the strength he needs to win.

In F1, we similarly encounter the vitality and glory of youth being contrasted with the wisdom and discipline that comes at a price through experience.

Bottom Line: Five Stars out of Five.