Get ready for the summer blockbuster film you’ve been waiting for! F1 is a crowd-pleasing offering from director Joseph Kosinski, who gave us Top Gun: Maverick — you’ll definitely see some similarities. F1 brings the audience into the rarified world of Formula One racing for a different kind of need for speed. After all, the lead character’s racing philosophy is a simple one: Drive fast!
Brad Pitt portrays Sonny Hayes, a washed-up former Formula One prodigy from the 1990s who was sidelined by a catastrophic accident. After a few more detours into self-destructive behavior, including alcoholism and professional gambling, he’s living a nomadic life in his van. He drives around the country looking for any racing venue with a “Drivers Wanted” sign.
Enter Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes, Sonny’s friend and racing partner from 30 years ago. In a kind of meet-cute scene in a laundromat, Ruben informs Sonny that he’s now the owner of his own racing team, Apex. He has a young hotshot prodigy, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), who needs an experienced mentor. Suffering from the same kind of arrogance that cost Sonny his career, Pearce needs the stronger hand, take-no-prisoners attitude Ruben thinks Sonny can provide.
Ruben has a problem. His team has won no races, and if he can’t turn it around, he’ll lose it. One of his wealthy board members, Peter Banning (Tobias Menzies), is pressuring him to sell the team. Ruben believes Sonny’s old-school approach is just the ticket to winning. He also knows that Sonny is a loose cannon who’ll go his own way no matter what. Conflicts abound.
Apex has its car, designed by engineer Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), but it needs a winning driver. Kate has fought long and hard to become the first female car designer on the Grand Prix circuit, so she has a huge stake in Apex’s success.
The real stars of the film are the cars themselves. Most of the filming took place during the 2023 Formula One World Championship races, featuring the actual drivers competing in those events. A special garage was built for the fictional driving team between the garages of Mercedes and Ferrari. Apex’s car was built under the supervision of Mercedes.
The film’s strengths arise from the incredible racing sequences and the charismatic performances from Pitt and Bardem. The supporting cast is good, but the little subplots and relationships don’t really stand out; it’s ALL about the racing.
The narrative is predictable, but with enough small twists to keep the viewer interested. There are, of course, action film clichés, but the actors’ skills make them work. The outcome may surprise you. F1 is a thrill ride, but you will definitely enjoy it. It’s well worth the price of the ticket! – JoAnne Hyde
