Ford v Ferrari (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Ford v Ferrari' (directed by James Mangold, Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma) is a sports drama about events leading up to & including the 24 hr. long 1966 Le Mans race -- even at 152 minutes in length, I found this film thrilling, engrossing & highly entertaining. Circa 1964-65, Ford Motor Co. CEO Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) is tired of competing his young guns against - and losing - to perennial Le Mans winner Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone). Ford's also looking to re-invigorate sales. To that, Ford tasks execs Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) & Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas) to seek out 1959 Le Mans winner Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) to design a sexy race car to both appeal to consumers & win Les Mans. Shelby's own career was cut short due to a heart condition.
Shelby reluctantly agrees & assembles his team, including right-hand-man Phil Remington (Ray McKinnon, so good), Roy Lunn (JJ Field) & a talented-but-volatile British engineer/driver, Ken Miles (Christian Bale), whose auto body shop has just been seized by the IRS, much to the dismay of his loving wife, Molly (Caitriona Balfe, of Outlander fame) & doting son, Peter (adorable Noah Jupe). Ford puts Beebe in charge of the racing division, but he strongly dislikes Miles. Beebe recognizes the passion that pours out of Ken, but thinks the opinionated Brit isn't the right image for the Ford Co.; looking to get rid of him at all costs. Nevertheless, Shelby conspires to get Miles into the 1966 race. Thus, the stage is set for the dramatic events, conflicts & exciting race to come. Ford is destined for glory - that is - until Beebe makes one last attempt to thwart Shelby & Miles. Superb action ensues.
Now, I'm not a huge car racing aficionado, but it doesn't matter, here. I loved the Hell out of this movie. And it is a true "Movie-Movie" -- the kind from yesteryear that aimed to entertain with engaging performances & exceptional craft. It's also an outstanding historical character study, to boot. Yes, the film is lengthy, but keeps up a fun, breezy pace for the most part; focusing on that aforementioned entertainment factor & less on pretentious "import". I don't know how James Mangold did it; juggling top-notch performances {the actors are sensitive to the nuances of the narrative beats}, a fun/surprisingly deep script {conflict btwn. love of sport & the corporate control over sport} & scintillating editing {those copious, invigorating race scenes}.
At the heart of 'Ford v Ferrari' are two superb performances by Matt Damon & Christian Bale, whose characters forge a tender, affecting friendship despite oil & vinegar personalities and all the adversities they face. As Shelby, Damon is the quieter role; but he's still whip smart, charming & an absolute hoot {I recall a scene in which he lands a plane}. On the contrary, Miles is more combustible, but Bale makes him utterly real, with relatable worries, joys & outrages. Each man blew me away in actions both large & small. Look out for a fun scene where the two buddies engage in a physical fight outside Miles' house. Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas {as smarmy villain, Beebe}, McKinnon, Caitriona Balfe {SO good in her big scene) & young Noah Jupe impress. But best of the supporting players is Tracy Letts, the stern, cocky Henry Ford who is reduced to terrified screams, then joyful tears after Shelby takes him for a high-speed spin in his new car -- the reaction is priceless.
Phedon Papamichael lends crisp, bold cinematography & shoots stunning racing scenes which lent to a "you are there in the car" feel. I commend the editors; keeping the pacing moving, & making me grimace with each nerve-wracking turn on the race track. To that, Marco Beltrami's propulsive music combined with some thundering sound design further kept me on edge. A handsome production all-around, I also appreciated the 1960s art direction. To me, 'FvF' provides classic filmmaking. It's a touch long, and not some game-changer of cinematic greatness. But I couldn't have been more pleased with it. It's a terrific movie about friends working towards a goal, trying to make history, & thwarting corporate America in the process. Loved it.
Shelby reluctantly agrees & assembles his team, including right-hand-man Phil Remington (Ray McKinnon, so good), Roy Lunn (JJ Field) & a talented-but-volatile British engineer/driver, Ken Miles (Christian Bale), whose auto body shop has just been seized by the IRS, much to the dismay of his loving wife, Molly (Caitriona Balfe, of Outlander fame) & doting son, Peter (adorable Noah Jupe). Ford puts Beebe in charge of the racing division, but he strongly dislikes Miles. Beebe recognizes the passion that pours out of Ken, but thinks the opinionated Brit isn't the right image for the Ford Co.; looking to get rid of him at all costs. Nevertheless, Shelby conspires to get Miles into the 1966 race. Thus, the stage is set for the dramatic events, conflicts & exciting race to come. Ford is destined for glory - that is - until Beebe makes one last attempt to thwart Shelby & Miles. Superb action ensues.
Now, I'm not a huge car racing aficionado, but it doesn't matter, here. I loved the Hell out of this movie. And it is a true "Movie-Movie" -- the kind from yesteryear that aimed to entertain with engaging performances & exceptional craft. It's also an outstanding historical character study, to boot. Yes, the film is lengthy, but keeps up a fun, breezy pace for the most part; focusing on that aforementioned entertainment factor & less on pretentious "import". I don't know how James Mangold did it; juggling top-notch performances {the actors are sensitive to the nuances of the narrative beats}, a fun/surprisingly deep script {conflict btwn. love of sport & the corporate control over sport} & scintillating editing {those copious, invigorating race scenes}.
At the heart of 'Ford v Ferrari' are two superb performances by Matt Damon & Christian Bale, whose characters forge a tender, affecting friendship despite oil & vinegar personalities and all the adversities they face. As Shelby, Damon is the quieter role; but he's still whip smart, charming & an absolute hoot {I recall a scene in which he lands a plane}. On the contrary, Miles is more combustible, but Bale makes him utterly real, with relatable worries, joys & outrages. Each man blew me away in actions both large & small. Look out for a fun scene where the two buddies engage in a physical fight outside Miles' house. Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas {as smarmy villain, Beebe}, McKinnon, Caitriona Balfe {SO good in her big scene) & young Noah Jupe impress. But best of the supporting players is Tracy Letts, the stern, cocky Henry Ford who is reduced to terrified screams, then joyful tears after Shelby takes him for a high-speed spin in his new car -- the reaction is priceless.
Phedon Papamichael lends crisp, bold cinematography & shoots stunning racing scenes which lent to a "you are there in the car" feel. I commend the editors; keeping the pacing moving, & making me grimace with each nerve-wracking turn on the race track. To that, Marco Beltrami's propulsive music combined with some thundering sound design further kept me on edge. A handsome production all-around, I also appreciated the 1960s art direction. To me, 'FvF' provides classic filmmaking. It's a touch long, and not some game-changer of cinematic greatness. But I couldn't have been more pleased with it. It's a terrific movie about friends working towards a goal, trying to make history, & thwarting corporate America in the process. Loved it.