The true story of the bitter rivalry between car manufacturers Ford and Ferrari that culminated in a showdown at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
BIOPIC/DRAMA/SPORT
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Ford v Ferrari (2019)Directed by James Mangold
Written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Jason Keller Starring Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas, Caitrona Balfe, Tracy Letts, Noah Jupe, Ray McKinnon Oscar Wins - Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing Oscar Nominations - Best Picture, Best Sound Mixing |
The underdog versus the seemingly unstoppable giant. A tale, quite seemingly, as old as time. But one that has remained popular for a reason. There’s just something extremely satisfying about seeing the little guy come out stronger in the end. Never fails to make someone happy. How does any of this apply to Ford v Ferrari? Well, it’s a story about how the once mighty Ford Motor Company really needed to a win to boost its sales and become the prominent figure in cars it once was. Well, the answer would to beat its rival at the time, Ferrari, in a race where they could prove they are still the top dogs in motor vehicles. And how do you pull this story off? Well, you get James Mangold to direct and cast both Matt Damon and Christian Bale, that’s how.
After how great Logan turned out to be, it’s great to see James Mangold continuing to hone in his directing skills. From the brightly lit shots to how he films the racing scenes, the man is a true genius behind the camera. The aforementioned racing scenes, in particular, being highlights of the film as he pulls off an excellent job of showing how fast these cars are going. As always, both Matt Damon and Christian Bale are great. Both have never been known for phoning in a performance, instead opting to always give it their all and that continues here. Their chemistry is stellar and really sells how good of friends these two characters were in real life. Unfortunately, this being a biographical movie, I don’t have as much to say here as I usually do. It does exactly what it sets out to do and does it extremely well. It tells a wonderful underdog tale while highlighting a figure in racing history I was unfamiliar with. Whether you’re a racing fan or just interested in a little slice of Ford history, it’s safe to say you’ll have a great time with this. |
The story of the rivalry between American car manufacturer Ford and Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari is a brief but fascinating tale that is best told through the eyes of two men, Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. Shelby (Damon) was a former racer turned race car salesman who was drafted by Lee Iacocca (Bernthal) of Ford Motors to build an American race car that could defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. This was an impossible task, as Ferrari was unbeatable and looked down on Ford for their assembly lines and "ugly" cars. Shelby took the challenge and brought onboard volatile racer Ken Miles (Bale), who didn't fit Ford's image but was the best racer Shelby had ever seen. Thus began the daunting task of building a car that could defeat Ferrari, and a badass awards-season biopic was born.
Damon and Bale are impeccable as Shelby and Miles, two men who understood racing better than anybody, and without whom the project never would've worked. I'm not a fan of racing, but this movie had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, mostly because the human drama and competitive nature of Ford Motors was like a Shakespearean play. People want to win, no matter what it takes or who gets hurt in the process. This movie greatly emphasizes that idea, and uses the race as a metaphor for Shelby and Miles trying to overcome their own demons and insecurities. Ford v Ferrari tells an American story of determination and fearlessness in the face of almost certain defeat. It's for more than just racing enthusiasts. Any fan of a good story will be entranced by this film, and I wish it the best of luck at the Oscars. I think this is James Mangold's best movie, and a highly entertaining watch. |