Movies

A charismatic Brad Pitt is the engine behind the loud and silly ‘F1’

BBG News

The exhilaration of “F1” racing seems designed to bypass the mind, offering a raw, powerful, and speedy experience. Despite its lengthy duration of over two-and-a-half hours, it has the plot thickness of a toy dump truck. Sonny (played by Brad Pitt), a 50-something former driver who had an accident in the ’90s, is coaxed into participating in the world’s most prestigious racing event to restore his tarnished reputation and save his buddy Ruben’s (Javier Bardem) struggling racing team, APX. However, what he truly yearns for remains just out of reach – a feeling of accomplishment that continually slips through his fingers like a mechanical hare on a racetrack.

Titled “F1,” this film, helmed by Joseph Kosinski from a script by Ehren Kruger, blends an endearing romance between the relatable automotive engineer, Kate (Kerry Condon), and a subtle warning about the shady financial maneuvers happening off the track. However, it shares many similarities with Kosinki’s previous work, “Top Gun: Maverick.” It features a seasoned A-list character taking risks, his promising protégé (Damson Idris), and an almost unachievable high-speed mission, filled with thrilling action sequences that alternate with scenes of the movie star, out of his helmet and beaming at fans.

The movie begins by showcasing a dynamic sequence depicting Sonny’s dreams. With a meditation tape playing and haunting memories lingering, the visuals switch between serene ocean waves and tense curves, moving from tranquil stillness to intense concentration. Awakening, Sonny cranks up Led Zeppelin and grips the steering wheel at the Daytona Speedway. The fireworks bursting nearby make Florida seem under siege. In a playful touch, editor Stephen Mirrione overlays Robert Plant’s passionate cries over a shot of an air gun forcefully working on tire nuts in the pit crew.

Immediately, the energy is quite bold, bordering on cheesy. Maintain this style, but don’t forget the occasional eyeroll at Brad Pitt’s almost legendary modern-day Steve McQueen. He’s silent, arrogant, stubborn, and unrepentant, a solitary figure in a profession that demands camaraderie. Racers can’t advance without people ready to swap all four tires in just 2.9 seconds.

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Three and a half decades since ‘Days of Thunder,’ the high-speed ‘F1’ filmmaker, Jerry Bruckheimer, shows no signs of deceleration; he discusses speedy automobiles, grand-scale excitement, and the current landscape of Hollywood.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I find myself in a critical situation at APX. The investors, led by the charming yet stern Tobias Menzies, are threatening to let go of the entire team if we don’t make it into the top 10. My young and confident colleague, Josh, seems unimpressed with my experience, mocking me as though I’m an ancient relic pushing the first stone wheel. He dismissively tells his mother, Sarah Niles, that I’m “old — like really old, like 80.” However, she looks at me with a knowing smile, reminiscent of a Popsicle on a hot day.

Despite Josh’s skepticism, the team must adapt and become more aggressive. It’s up to me, Sonny, to lead us out of our current state of mediocrity. I rally the technicians, inspiring them with cries of “Combat! Combat!” We need to fight for our future at APX and prove that we can still compete with the best in the industry.

However, the cars aren’t particularly impressive. When asked about APX by a Ferrari representative, they simply say “We don’t have an opinion.” Interestingly, the script seems to show little interest in Ferrari itself, despite being filmed at nine Formula One Grand Prix events during the 2023 season, from Japan to Mexico to Abu Dhabi. The scenes shot on these real tracks, amidst real chaos, drivers, and fans doing the wave, offer a unique production value. Yet, it’s somewhat unusual to listen to commentators focus intensely on the antics of a racer lagging behind while barely mentioning the actual winners.

The opposing view is that it’s unfair to portray Max Verstappen, the current champion from last year, as a villain, given that Sonny drives similarly. Both drivers exhibit an edge-of-your-seat driving style that sometimes seems dangerously similar to a demolition derby. (It should be noted that F1 modified a rule in the previous season so that one of Verstappen’s tactics now leads to disqualification.)

The movie makes a few questionable decisions, particularly when it asks us to empathize with Sonny’s previous spinal injury, yet subsequently abandons that storyline and instead depicts him zooming across sand dunes. The one major speech about the significance of racing falls flat without much resonance.

However, “F1” stands steadfastly, observing as Sonny stirs up a sport that’s now synonymous with being the globe’s costliest chase game. Modern technology has taken the reins, introducing simulators, treadmills, and sensors in pursuit of minuscule seconds to shave off – every fraction counts. The movie doesn’t belittle our intellect by portraying these advancements as insignificant; they hold just as much weight as Sonny’s enigmatic road sensibilities. To counterbalance, he and his companion, Kate, share a common affection for traditional pastimes: He runs, she cycles.

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This summer promises a rich variety of films, featuring major blockbusters, clever independent productions, and an appropriate dose of entertaining yet intellectually light fare – all essential elements for a satisfying cinematic experience.

Idris skillfully portrays his new character as prickly yet lovable, showing the fragile vulnerability typical of a generation that values self-worth based on likes. Josh’s manager, appropriately named Cashman (played by Samson Kayo), urges him to devote more energy to social media platforms, suggesting that popularity in today’s digital age can be just as valuable for success as simply crossing the finish line first.

At a screening primarily attended by influencers, I noticed the movie’s portrayal of contempt towards shallow self-promotion didn’t seem to offend them. Sonny constantly scoffs when he sees Josh putting on a fake smile, but even when it’s just for the ads they’re both contracted to do. However, the races themselves were genuinely captivating – truly top-notch, as if Goodyear had been involved!

Claudio Miranda, the cinematographer, maintains a swift, close-to-the-ground camera angle. Occasionally, he floods the screen with road expanse, while at other times, he positions the lens snugly between the windshield and wheel, offering glimpses of Brad Pitt’s gripping hand as it swerves around corners. The sounds are exhilarating: screeching tires, roaring engines, and a pulsating soundtrack that replaces the traditional rock tunes once it moves past them. To match this pace, Hans Zimmer has created an intense, rumbling sound that shakes our seats.

In essence, both race cars and popular films share an essential similarity: They’re costly machines crafted by teams who understand that even with meticulous fine-tuning, there’s always a risk of failure. For instance, a typical Formula One car amounts to approximately $20 million. Brad Pitt’s earnings for “F1” were roughly one and a half times that figure (with the movie’s production budget estimated between $200 and $300 million). Despite their mechanical nature, success or failure in racing or filmmaking heavily depends on the human factor – the protagonist fighting against technical glitches.

Instead of his earlier years portraying Troy, Brad Pitt now feels secure with a movie of this magnitude centered on him. Sonny is the role that brings him closest to revisiting his iconic character from Thelma & Louise as an attractive cowboy rogue. For many years, he’s been trying to break free from being typecast as that character, opting for roles as eccentrics and buffoons. Every time he was suggested to play the romantic lead, those roles felt constricting around his neck. However, Brad Pitt’s 2019 Academy Award win as Clint Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood appears to have given him a sense of ease in portraying a full-blooded sex symbol. At 61, he seems to have developed an extra layer of abs.

Despite Pitt’s tendency to add eccentric touches to the character that don’t always fit together perfectly, there are moments when he surprises us. For instance, he portrays a rugged Marlboro Man-like figure in one scene, while in another, his torso is adorned with various Gen-Z tattoos, such as a cartoon hot dog making the “pew pew” gesture. If this is supposed to reflect Sonny’s humor, there seems to be no other indication of it. I was captivated by costume designer Julian Day’s inventive interpretations of a simple white shirt – with intricate textures and loose cuffs reminiscent of Tyler Durden – but it’s hard to imagine Sonny carrying any of that in the worn duffel bag he carries. But who cares? We’re simply here to enjoy Pitt’s performance.

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2025-06-26 13:31

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