Susan Granger’s review of “F1: The Movie” (Warner Bros./Apple Original Films)
If you’re into Formula One racing and follow the Grand Prix global circuit, rush to see “F1: The Movie,” following in the tire-tracks of “Ford vs Ferrari,” “Rush,” “Gran Turismo,” “Senna” and “Days of Thunder.”
If – on the other hand – you’re not quite sure about motorsports and/or have problems deciphering British accents without subtitles, you might want to wait until this high-octane thriller is streaming on Apple TV+.
The adrenaline-fueled story revolves around the comeback of veteran driver Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt). After winning a Florida endurance race – ‘24 Hours of Daytona’ – he’s off to Ensenada in his beat-up camper van to chase another victory.
That’s where Sonny’s cornered by his pal Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), who begs him to be ‘second driver’ to British hotshot rookie, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), so that his struggling APXGP team can win a Formula One race and Ruben can keep his job.
Art first, Sonny’s not sure; he’s still recovering from the catastrophic crash in Spain that torpedoed his career 30 years ago and sent him into a gambling tailspin.
Predictably, obsessive Sonny joins Ruben’s team and, unsurprisingly, he’s not willing to be ‘second’ to brash, swaggering Joshua. Check one cliché after another.
Milling around the plot’s periphery are Joshua’s protective mother (Sarah Niles) and APX’s lead designer (Kerry Condon), balancing power with high-tech precision as the first/only woman to hold this prestigious engineering post.
Scripted by Ehren Kruger and directed by Joseph Kosinski with an eye on authenticity, the film’s most exciting racing sequences were shot by Claudio Miranda during actual 2023 & 2024 Grand Prix and deftly edited by Stephen Mirrione, punctuated by Hans Zimmer’s score.
“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast,” Sonny strategizes. But there’s no way to hide the ridiculous amount of product/brand placement that’s rampant in auto-racing.
FYI: Brad Pitt was paid $30 million, his career-biggest salary – and Mercedes built the car driven by the fictional APXGP team.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “F1: The Movie” screeches in with a propulsive 7, playing in theaters.
