F1

Film is great. Top notch acting from all actors. Captures the essence of just how much dedication is need for the sport and how thrilling, exciting and also dangerous the sport is. Would recommend, 5 Stars!

I am so glad I'm F1 illiterate. Even though I know basically nothing about this sport, I can still feel how unrealistic everything is. The opening scene had me going, "Yeah right. Calm down already." But really, it doesn't matter. This has the hallmarks of producer Jerry Bruckheimer, it's dumb and it's fun. It has to be somewhat dumb to be this much fun. Everytime there was a reference made to the '90s, I couldn't help but think that that, too, was Jerry's hayday. Con Air anyone? The Rock? It's everything that we miss from the ideology-laden racist and sexist pedantic sub-AI-level slop that Hollywood churns out these days, and it's kinda ironic that we're getting it from woke Apple. But I'm not complaining. Watching this I had flashbacks to Top Gun Maverick, which was also such a breath of uncomplicated popcorn-throwing fresh air, and lo and behold this is from the same director. Absolutely worth a watch, possibly infuriating if you're not motorsport illiterate.

With Sir Lewis Hamilton and F1 media veteran Ian Holmes amongst those at the helm of this production, you can be certain that it’s going to be as an authentic story of all things F1 (can’t be bothered finding the trademark symbol) as you’re ever likely to see. It’s all about team “Ruben” (Javier Bardem) whose cars couldn’t beat an egg and so is looking at ending up broke! His remaining driver is British rookie “Joshua” (Damson Idris) but he’s nowhere near experienced enough to make any impact on the problem. For that, he needs to coax back “Sonny” (Brad Pitt) who did drive these cars twenty years ago but hung up his helmet after an accident and then became an itinerant driver eking a living across the USA. Can he be tempted? Well we’d have no film if he wasn’t so the next question is: can he manage to salvage this operation before it’s sold for scrap? True to form with this sport, what now ensues sees all the glitz and glamour of circuits around the world; money no object cars, training and equipment; testosterone galore both in the car and with team tech director “Kate” (Kerry Condon) as well as a whole slew of rule manipulating, crashes, downright cheating and I have to say, some of the best action and in-car photography I’ve seen on a big screen. Indeed, I could cheerfully have lived without the dramatic characterisation here altogether, and just stuck to the tensely directed and really compelling action sequences that, especially using the in-car cameras, is genuinely quite exciting to watch. You really do get a sense of the speed of the cars racing round the tracks and of the phenomenal engineering that goes into the design and manufacture of these cars that at times look no more substantial than an Airfix kit. Pitt is in his element here delivering a character that’s a lovable rogue meets smug git whilst Idris comes across entirely naturally as the youngster out of his depth but willing and determined to learn. The soundtrack from the likes of Queen and Led Zeppelin livens up what I’d have to say isn’t Hans Zimmer’s most memorable score, and with the last half hour largely devoid of the romantic and emotional clutter, we watch something that shows us this circus in full pomp. You don’t need to be remotely interested in this topic to enjoy this film, you only really need a pulse and a great big screen.