I came out of our Canada Day viewing of F1: The Movie with two thoughts:
- That is some seriously commercial and formulaic filmmaking; and
- That is a great summer movie.
The shorthand is, if you enjoyed the speed and camerawork of last year's Top Gun: Maverick, this is cut from essentially the same cloth, only at a much lower altitude. It not only has the same director (Joseph Kosinski), but where TGM had the full cooperation of the US Department of Defense and Navy, this one not only has Formula 1 Racing behind it, but even boasts seven-time World Driver's Champion Lewis Hamilton as an executive producer. Some wags are calling it Top Gear: Maverick, which I wish I'd thought of...
Brad Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a Formula 1 up and comer from decades back who is a mercenary wheelman drifting from race to race (including the grueling 24 hours at LeMans!) without connections or continuity. His old teammate (Javier Bardem), now the owner of a struggling F1 team, begs him to return to the league in order to help him salvage what remains of a terrible season.
Along the way he will have to contend with a prickly relationship with his rookie teammate (Damson Idris), convince a female engineer (Kerry Condon) to re-design the car and, of course, deal with the ghosts from his past - as well as a full field of younger, yet more experienced drivers.
The great thing about sports movies (which this undoubtedly is) is that the conflict is built in and you honestly don't need a whole ton of plot. The story of F1 isn't quite paint-by-numbers, but it is definitely done by the numbers, with not too many surprises in store along the way.
So why bother watching it?
Well, since they let Idris and Pitt drive on real F1 tracks with legit F1 cars (but not at the same time as guys like Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen), you are unlikely to ever get a better look at what F1 racing looks like at ground level.
And to be clear here, I am not a guy who really gives a hoot about motorsports, but I appreciate the skill and engineering behind any competition this intense, and let's face it, these amazing vehicles are essentially jet fighters on wheels. Kosinski has repurposed a lot of his technology from TGM and reapplied it to these road rockets, and makes even the qualifying laps look engaging and intense. In fact we all agreed that early shots of the spoiler dropping to increase speed should have been repeated more in later races (but this may be due to rules about the drag reduction system is used).
I can't speak to how realistic the film is, because how the hell would I know, but they have enough good-looking details for the serious fans and enough explanations for newbies like me to keep the challenges and stakes clear without constant exposition. And I know Sonny's unconventional 'Plan C's would get a real-world driver penalized, if not litigated, indicted, or simply assaulted in pit row.
The story, though simple, does not treat its audience as stupid. The goal is not to win the championship or even a single race, but just to improve the team's standing enough that the board does not force the owner to sell and put a rookie driver out of work. No one will die if the goal is unmet, and there is no villain from another team sabotaging them or racing dirty to put them in their place. In fact, the lack of mustache twirling made the movie more enjoyable as a whole. Honestly, when the protagonist is coming out of a straightaway at 350+ km/h and approaching a corner on worn out tires, inertia is a sufficient enough antagonist, don't you think?
The product placement is relentless, even away from the track, so if you don't like logos, maybe give this film a miss. But the international venues are a real treat for the eyes on a big screen.
F1: The Movie has everything you want from a solid summer entertainment spectacle: thrills, spills, drama, charming performers and the occasional laugh. It's a pretty good date movie, as those who aren't that interested in cars can enjoy Pitt and Idris in everything from witty banter to ice baths.
And all of it, especially the cars but also the scenery, looks better on a bigger screen, so that and Hans Zimmer's score (and a very decent soundtrack) made me glad we splurged and saw it in IMAX.
