Now, my headline may imply that I didn’t enjoy this movie, but that’s not the case. I enjoyed this film. I feel that the writing involved is familiar and redundant. That said, director Joseph Kosinski and his crew deliver a summer sports flick that has plenty of great cinematography, superb sound, and charismatic characters who make their audience care enough for them. Have we seen these character types previously? Yes. The question remains: why do we care about them? F1: The Movie delivers a traditional underdog story, bolstered by solid acting, despite its weaknesses in character development.
What truly sells this movie and story is the acting of the players, led by Brad Pitt. Pitt portrays Sonny Hayes, a former Formula One racer who, after a near-death experience, has never returned to Formula One racing despite his love for the challenge. Sonny loves to drive, gamble, and face intense challenges that give him an adrenaline rush. Though he has spent most of his life gambling and racing, he gets another chance opportunity to return to Formula One when a former friend, rival, and teammate gives him a golden ticket.
Enter Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), the current owner of a racing team and former racing teammate of Sonny, who gives him a chance to save his team. Although Sonny is much older than most racers, his experience and skills prove valuable, especially when it comes to training Ruben’s young racing superstar, Joshua Pierce (Damon Idris). Even though Joshua is skilled, his ego and headstrong ways need honing to make him a champion racer. When Sonny agrees to help, the two egos and different approaches to racing eventually clash, but if they wish to salvage the team, they must put these differences aside to make them succeed.
Written and directed by Kosinski and co-written by Ehren Kruger, F1: The Movie shares a similar approach to character development to that used in Top Gun: Maverick, making it a great summer movie. Despite the familiarity of this character dynamic, the actors’ passion and charisma make this story work well enough. The real stars of the movie are the racing sequences. It’s best to experience this film on a massive screen with an incredible sound system.
F1 is not a movie to watch at home initially. I don’t know how well it holds up in repeated viewings at home. Still, for a one-time watch in a cinema, F1: The Movie is a mostly riveting experience. You don’t even have to be a fan of racing, though it helps. The underdog story, though redundant, is relatable enough to sell it.
This issue is aided by the performances of the cast, with Brad Pitt utilizing his star power and likability to their full potential. Damon Idris also proves himself to be a great challenger to Pitt’s Sonny. He brings the right amount of arrogance and charm to his character. There are times when you don’t like his character, but then you eventually warm up to him as he learns to do what is necessary to be a strong team member. I also enjoyed the performances of Kerry Condon and Javier Bardem here. Condon portrays Kate McKenna, the technical director of the team, who must prove that a woman can successfully do the work that many men have done previously.
I’m not sure if F1 will be a movie that stands the test of time, but it should provide at least a one-time viewing experience that is exciting and captivating, especially for racing fans.