Ford v Ferrari

355 laps. 

That's how many it takes to win Le Mans, a 24 hour race in France that's widely viewed as one of the most significant automobile races each year. 

While Ford v Ferrari doesn't necessarily focus a ton on the endurance it takes to be a driver in that format or just the pure athleticism it takes to be a race car driver, I was stuck on this thought for much of the film. 

As a race car driver you're taking a machine to its limits all while needing to focus on the road, the turns, when to brake, how much to brake, other racers, potential crashes, when to pit, etc. It's multitasking in its highest form and the consequence for failure is often drastic. 

Along with being highly interesting as it tells its true story, Ford v Ferrari does what many other racing films struggle/fail to do: get your pulse racing with the speed of the races. 

Ford v Ferrari is a wonderfully exciting film for most of its runtime which, at two and a half hours, is quite something. It's a combination of a lot of successful pieces in order to make one hell of a fun flick that I practically dare car enthusiasts or regular Joe's to not enjoy. 

Perhaps the film's only fault is that I wish it was a little more special in terms of the filmmaking behind it. Yes, it's exciting and the driving scenes can be electric, but I also feel like at times the film is going through the paces; checking off a [long] list of events it needs to show. It mostly does these well, but I can't help but think that with this much "good" in the film, it needed some other things to be "great". Cinematography could have been a highlight, it's not really. The original score could have hit harder, it's mostly flat. The special effects, when used, are shaky and almost TV-quality in particular instances. Perhaps that's unfair of the film, but it's not me saying it's bad either. Instead I'm creating a wishlist of if this could have been an Instant Classic what I think it needed to move the needle on. 

Lots of real cars to OOO and AHH over in this one

Feel the Need! The Need for the
bathroom, since it's a 24 hour race...

Surprisingly the 2.5 hour runtime is barely an issue. Sure it's very long and definitely could have been trimmed, but it's also a quick 2.5 hours and the film packs in a LOT of story. There's very little meandering from scene to scene and it feels like nearly each minute is a relevant part of the story and history. You may find yourself thinking: "Well I'm not really a car person. Why would I care about two brands going at it?" While that's the crux of the story, it rolls up more into being a display of the American Dream and setting out to beat an Italian company that considered American cars a laughing stock. It's also - as a subplot - a character study on driver Ken Miles (Bale) and his quest to fit in, despite his obsessive passion that came across as off-putting to most people. This story is incredibly interesting from how the rivalry hit its peak, how the initial car was built, the mistakes that were made by Ford executives along the way (they do NOT come out of this film looking good), and ultimately, the race at Le Mans. Motorhead or not, the film consistently does a god job of making sure you know what's going on without annoying amounts of exposition dialogue and it's all melded together with a energetic soundtrack of rock and roll oldies. 

Clearly a "big" film with a lot of story to tell needs some firepower in terms of acting. You'll notice a lot of familiar faces, but none more so than our two costars. Matt Damon plays the gum-chewing, straight shooter, Carroll Shelby - one of the most famous car designers in U.S. history. Damon is good here, but quickly overshadowed by Christian Bale's more eccentric, yet measured performance as race driver Ken Miles. Bale is a delight here, bringing a lot of energy to the film and becomes the most human element of the story that focuses largely on him and his legacy. Per usual with Bale, his performance is great, likely an Oscar contender, and the film quickly becomes his. Hearing him hoot, holler, and curse in his car going nearly 200 mph creates some of the most wonderful scenes of the year and I had a blast anytime it was clear that he was too. 

Speaking of going fast, the film generally looks great when its providing racing scenes and it has a very kinetic style that, as mentioned earlier, gets your pulse running. Often times the camera is placed behind the vehicle in close proximity and just barely along the road underneath that races by as a blur. It creates the effect that you're travelling fast with the car and, while not a new technique, is used to great effect here. Ford v Ferrari is also worth seeing in theaters for the sound alone, particularly for car junkies. Engine roars are LOUD and awesome, purring throughout the theater and screaming out of the speakers. 

Surprised the film didn't turn into
somehow rescuing Matt Damon's character...

Ford v Ferrari is a shockingly long film, but it earns the runtime, not something I've claimed for many films this year in what feels like my most frequent complaint of 2019. With its story it positions itself as consistently interesting and historically captivating and with its electric racing sequences and performances, specifically Bale, its entertaining as a V8 putting out 500hp. And that's pretty damn entertaining!

CONS

• Special effects get wonky at times, which is a shame because it pulls you right out. Luckily rare
• Feels like it needed to be a knockout somewhere else to be a true classic. Cinematography and original score in particular feel simply "fine" 

PROS

• Based on an awesome, big true story that's consistently interesting
• Captivating screenplay that fills the 2.5 hours to the brim with content
• Speedy, intense, and LOUD driving scenes
• Decent humor throughout
• Strong performances from the impressive cast, but Bale shines the brightest. His Ken Miles is someone who finds pure joy in driving and talking to his vehicle and the film kick the most ass during these moments
• Well rounded and constructed film that almost everyone can enjoy (unless you're an executive at Ford, perhaps?)

Rath's Review Score | 8.5/10