Subscribe
Follow Us
To its credit, F1: The Movie gets me to care about Formula 1, an unfathomable thought, thanks to its performances from Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, who play out a story that resembles the classic Brett Farve-Aaron Rodgers feud of the early 2000s. I respect the craft, but Formula 1 has never gripped my interest.
It is clear that Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski was aiming to recapture the magic of his 2022 legacy sequel with F1. Similarly, F1 is light on its feet when it comes to the story, but the racing sequences are there to glue you to the screen (making it a must-watch in IMAX).
Kosinski must have a soft spot for the legends who yearn for glory. He had Maverick (Tom Cruise), and now he has Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt). The director once again gives an aging movie star like Pitt another chance at glory, as Sonny does in F1.
We should consider ourselves very fortunate to get two blockbusters like Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning and F1 in the same year. Both are must-sees on the biggest screen possible. And frankly, F1 may have a case as the better movie.
Everyone knows the visuals are going to blow your mind, but its story about the rough-and-tough veteran teaching the cocky rookie brings heart to the project. The story has been done before, but that doesn't make it less effective.
F1: The Movie review — What's it about?
At one point, Sonny was an up-and-coming racer, competing in Formula 1 decades before the events of the F1 movie. They show some flashbacks with a de-aged Pitt that millennials who watched Dallas will fawn over.
However, as one cheeky commentator points out, he may have been a “was never” rather than a “has been.” That is up for your interpretation upon seeing it.
Sonny still races, as he will never retire, competing in the Daytona 500 when F1 begins. He is recruited by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), who owns APXGP, a Formula 1 team without a point to its name that season. While he owns the team, he is still within a period where the board of directors could fire him if they fail to win a race.
Calling on Sonny is a “Hail Mary,” as in the American football term, as British board member Peter Banning (Tobias Menzies) quips. He's also tasked with teaching skilled rookie driver Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) the ropes. But the confident rookie feels his seat is being threatened, and the two have to learn to coexist and race together.
Brad Pitt and Damson Idris resemble Brett Farve and Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers—and most NFL—fans will remember the feud between Farve and Rodgers in the early 2000s. While the Packers may be one of the few franchises to go from one transcendent Hall of Fame-level quarterback to another, it came at a price.
The grizzled veteran didn't want to hold the hand of the rookie, something Sonny laments in F1. In fairness, Farve may have been more in his prime than Sonny is in F1, but the point remains.
Over time, Sonny and Joshua begin respecting each other. The cracks in their hardened shells start to show as early as their first race together. This is not the first time this story has been told, and I'll wager it won't be the last.
Pitt, the natural renegade, plays Sonny with the right mix of charm and narcissism. Joshua is the other side of the same coin. Neither wants to admit it, but they are very similar.
Sonny Hayes is the kind of role late-career Brad Pitt can win another Oscar for. His Once Upon a Time in Hollywood character, Cliff Booth, was also a skilled driver and is only a few decades off from Sonny.
Article Continues Below
Still, I can't fault Pitt for effortlessly playing such a character. Why not do what you're good at? I can't think of a better actor they could have cast for this role.
Idris, who gained fame for Snowfall and Outside the Wire, holds his own against Pitt. Not many could hang with Pitt's charisma, but Idris goes toe-to-toe with him.
I'm genuinely impressed by the actor, whom I hadn't seen in much since The Commuter. He exudes cool, and I'd expect to see him in more leading roles going forward.
In a way, Idris similarly had to prove himself against a seasoned veteran like Pitt. For my money, he passed that test with flying colors.
The other standout
Kerry Condon is F1's equivalent to Jennifer Connelly in Top Gun: Maverick. There is a deeper story to tell within this movie about her character, Kate McKenna, the first-ever woman technical director for a Formula 1 team.
She meets Pitt's snark with a fair share of her own. Not many can tear his cowboy-like aura apart, but she can. Condon was another perfect casting choice, especially considering the levels of machismo involved.
Javier Bardem's rapport with Pitt is worth noting. He needs to be believable as the struggling owner desperate for a win. He is exactly that, and you inherit his stress during the races as you watch him squirm.
I'll put it this way — after seeing Bardem star in projects like Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and The Little Mermaid, it's nice to see him in prestige blockbusters like Dune: Part Two and now F1.
Should you watch F1: The Movie?
There are few movies that are as much of a thrill ride as F1: The Movie. Formula 1 has never been my cup of tea, but the F1 movie, thanks in large part to Kosinski's direction, soars past the finish line.
It's a generic story, yes, but F1 is worried about you caring about the relationship between racers played by Brad Pitt and Damson Idris. It's evident early on that neither Kosinski nor writer Ehren Kruger (who also wrote Top Gun: Maverick) was concerned about setting up an intricate story.
You meet Sonny Hayes within the first minute, and he is on his way to the UK a few short minutes later. From there, it's all about the racing.
And those hoping for a healthy amount of racing will be pleased. Once F1 starts its engine, it never looks back. The races come fast and furious, and you'll be catching your breath after each one.
It feels like only a select few can make blockbusters like this. Ironically, two of those may be Joseph Kosinski and Tom Cruise. F1: The Movie is the perfect summer film, and it needs to be seen on the biggest screen imaginable.
Grade: A
F1: The Movie is in theaters.
