Ford V Ferrarri
This is set before my time but racing movies with a plot, Christian Bale and Matt Damon are always going to be worth watching. I emphasise the plot because this film is more like "Rush" than the "Fast and Furious" franchise which has become a heavily action based set of movies and not particularly about the cars.
The plot:
Ford are losing money. since the war people just aren't buying Ford cars like they used to due to other sports cars and designers available. One guy in marketing pitches the idea of creating a racing car so that Ford can compete with Ferrari at Le Mans. Enzo Ferrari is broke and so they suggested Ford and Ferrari merging. Ferrari never has any real desire to merge with Ford but uses it to get a better deal from Fiat. Ford still decide to build a car to win at Le Mans so that more customers will come to Ford rather than going to Ferrari. Marketing is right, Ford cars just aren't considered 'sexy' or 'desirable' anymore.
They approach Carrol Shelby from Shelby motors as Shelby has actually won at Le Mans but had to stop racing due to a heart condition. Shelby agrees to make them a car that can withstand the 24 hour race at Le Mans but informs them that the right driver is something that money can't buy. He wants to use Ken Miles, the British worker and driver whom he is friends with but Ford only want him to help build it and race it.
Many arguments and a failed Le Mans later, Ken and Shelby win the right to race at Le Mans. Ken is winning the race, Ferrari have crashed out but Ford decide to royally screw them over and insist that Ken brings all the Ford cars over the line together so that Ford finish 1,2,3 in the race. By doing so, because one of the other drivers started from behind Ken, Ken unknowingly gives up his title and doesn't win the race. He doesn't seem that down about it because he got to drive it but the rest of us still sit there wondering what sort of twats sat up in that company and decided to screw over the best driver in the race. This movie really shows a side to Ford which can only be described using the word "ass-hole".
I'm kind of amazed that Ford even let this movie be made because it makes them look like total idiots.
The actual review:
Christian Bale as Ken Miles is stunning. It took me a while to get over his accent but by the end I had got used to it and it didn't bother me. He gives everything to driving and even though he can be a difficult person to work with, he is a true driver and his dedication is unquestionable.
Matt Damon as Carol Shelby also worked really well. I was a little sceptical because I wanted to see Damon do something a little different but by doing this movie he has done just that. He sat back away from the action and delivered determination, emotion and power all through his performance.
My favourite scene has to be when Miles and Shelby are fighting on the green opposite to Miles' house and his wife comes out with a deck chair, a magazine and just sits there and watches them fight. It just summed up the emotions and the things that drove everyone.
If you have an interest in cars and real racing then watch this movie. I was the only young person in the screening on release day but I wasn't bothered by it. There was a really nice balance of Men to Women and that made me think that some people were watching the movie because they remembered the events taking place but a lot of them also had an appreciation for cars and the work that goes in to a good car.
This was the right time to release this movie. They have let the action movies hit the screen and have got it out before Star Wars ruins movies. There was nothing that was really going to steal the audience when this movie made it to UK cinema's and I think that it helped. Official Secrets had already hit the screens and so there was nothing to take the older audience away.
Next up (If I remember to actually write the review) will be 'The Good Liar', followed by 'Knives Out'.
