F1, the new motorsport drama starring Brad Pitt, is undeniably entertaining. The race sequences are beautiful, heart-pounding works of art. Joseph Kosinski’s direction of the action is on point, as it was in Top Gun: Maverick. And Pitt’s charisma, mature but intact, gives the film’s shinny hardware a bit of heart. But the “F” for Formula in the title also describes the film’s formulaic story line. F1 is a spectacle to behold, but behind the mesmerizing speed is a well-worn tale and a very by-the-numbers telling.
The fact that F1’s plot is as mechanical as the film’s racing machines does not make it a bad viewing experience—I’m still strongly recommending it. I’m just saying that you’ve seen the narrative before… many times before: damaged and/or aging athlete is revived and presented with a chance (maybe a last chance) at victory, or redemption, or whatever the storyteller decides is the hero’s motivation.
F1 has such a hero (of course) In Sunny Hayes, a once promising young Formula driver whose career has been derailed by a near fatal accident. After a string of bad decisions and relationships, Sunny has settled on a racer-for-hire existence, searching simply to continue to drive in whatever fast thing he can find. But when a friend and former Lotus teammate (played by Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Dune)) offers Sunny a slot on his floundering F1 APXGP racing team, the highest class of worldwide racing, he takes it, although he is not sure why. And… you can guess the rest.
Pitt’s ah-shucks, it’s-all-good portrayal of the nomad (physically and emotionally) Hayes’ is comfortable if not compelling. Pitt can still command a scene with, what appears to be, minimal effort. Bardem is also excellent as the desperate racing team owner taking a flyer on his old teammate. The two generate a palpable chemistry with Bardem’s freneticism juxtaposed against Pitt’s what-the-heck vibe. The two eat up the screen as Hayes forges an unlikely and unconventional path toward an impossible checkered flag (maybe). They are each other’s last chances.
But let’s not get too distracted with characters and plot and the like. Sure, the buddy thing is fun, and an obligatory love interest for Sunny gives us another thing to root for—but it’s all pretty shallow and even a little cheesy at times. No, you should see F1 for the thrill and the tension of the race, because this is the most authentic racing car movie ever made.
It’s easy to want to compare F1 to other racing movies—the best-picture nominated Ford v Ferrari is the most obvious and highest quality comp. FvF is the better film… the better performance. But F1 is the better ride. 7.5 out of 10.
