American car designer Carroll Shelby and the British-born driver Ken Miles work together to battle corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionar...
Shifting story tropes into a roaringly high octane inspirational tale, “Ford v Ferrari”, directed by James Mangold, thrills by matching its narrative’s intensity with the speed of the racing cars on the tracks, but really captivates because of its expert handling of the men trying to make the victory happen.
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Based on a remarkable true story, the film sees an American automotive designer and a fearless British race car driver take battle against corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary vehicle for the Ford Motor Co. and race it against the cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.
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Even if you know the outcome, the film enthralls and entertains with the peaks and valleys of the team’s journey. From the opening POV shot, the film establishes the need for speed that attracts its two compulsive leads, and then maps out the circumstances that brings them together with impeccable pacing. The riveting drama spins a overused narrative framework of ingenuity and teamwork in the face of stifling adversity and turns it into a compelling character drama that isn’t necessarily about the wicked race sequences or the slick cars, but about the men that made it a reality.
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That being said, once the film settles into its racing third act, Mangold’s filmmaking really takes charge with Marco Beltrami’s score injecting a jazzy energy to the proceedings as the cars zip and twirl with every vicious clash and the cinematography showcases the pure intensity of the frantically gripping race.
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Mangold recruits two of the most well known male actors working today to play his leads and it turned out wonderfully. Matt Damon plays an all American with a soft heart and an strong passion for racing, despite his heart condition that holds him back. But Damon’s personality is then pushed by the borderline unstable and cocky attitude of his friend, played terrifically by Christian Bale.
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Arguably, this is Bale’s film as he’s fantastic and moving as the flawed and conceited husband and father who can’t help but put his passion for cars ahead of the family he loves. He’s conflicted by his desire to be around for them, but unable to resist the temptation that comes with the challenge of being right about the cars that his friend fights to design. Every moment he walks onscreen, Bale completely steals the show with his dedicated performance filled with improvised British slang and other hilarious banter he shares with other characters. Almost like gears moving in sync, Bale and Damon’s chemistry is charismatically dynamic, as it’s such a blast to watch them trading barbs and scheming in equal measures.
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“Ford v Ferrari” chooses to focus on the complicated characters behind the wheel of these grand races, which in turns, creates this classic underdog story into a exciting and appropriately poignant film about overcoming nearly impossible odds to achieve a goal everyone tells them they can’t get, from a Ford built car beating a Ferrari, to a short tempered grease monkey driving the car to the finish line. Mangold’s precision for filmmaking helps the ride stay perpetually smooth and swift, as Christian Bale’s performance hauls ass towards the checkered flag for a engrossingly inspirational tale about professional pride.
