F1: Race to your Local Cinema for this One


I'm not sure how to begin this review, dear reader. There are so many positive things to say about F1. I guess I should start by saying that my faith in big-budget original moviemaking has been restored. How did I come to this conclusion? I'll unpack it for you.

F1 looks and feels like a film that wanted to do things the right way. From what I understand, the actors trained for and did their own driving. The cinematography is on point. The variety of angles you get during the Formula One races in the movie really stands out. With the amount of driving in F1, nothing gets repetitive. The cohesion among the various filmmaking departments involved is notable. I have to mention the sound aspect too. How the sound editing and sound mixing complement one another is brilliant. You get the experience of hearing the races like you were one of the drivers, while also getting to hear the broadcasters clearly. I appreciated getting both of those perspectives as an audience member.

I can also say that the movie is superbly cast. I'll add Brad Pitt to the unfortunately short list of remaining movie stars (with the only other member being Tom Cruise). Pitt exudes effortless charm, coolness and charisma in the role of Sonny Hayes. I hadn't seen him in any movie before F1, but Damson Idris is also great as Joshua Pearce. Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon) and Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) also contribute a lot to the film. I like how the characters consistently play off one another and the dialogue is filled with humor, wit and gravity.

Effective storytelling and character growth are present in F1. In short, the plot is that Sonny Hayes returns to Formula One after a long absence, and less than ideal exit, to help a struggling team and mentor the young driver Joshua Pearce. The elements of movies we've seen before, right? F1 has even drawn comparisons to Top Gun: Maverick for various reasons that I don't have time to get into, but F1 stands on its own. The character journeys and dynamics flow organically, and things feel earned. I didn't pick up on too many clichés or anything while watching the film.

If you're looking for a standout movie this summer, then I say look no further than F1. It's wonderful escapism, and as my wife said to me, you might leave with a new personality of wanting to be a Formula One driver. Or at the very least, look into the TV schedule for upcoming Formula One races like I did. I went into the film not knowing anything about Formula One, which didn't impact my appreciation at all. F1 will eventually make its way to Apple TV+, but I encourage you to see this on as big a screen as possible. I hope F1 has a successful box office run and signals a few things to Hollywood. Audiences still want movies not based on existing intellectual property. Audiences still want cinematic experiences that contain spectacle and story. Audiences still want cool characters we like and want to succeed. All of this to say, let's continue to get exceptional movies.

Rating:

Green Light

 This is one to see in theaters

F1    156 minutes    PG-13    In theaters

My 2025 Top Movies: The Ballad of Wallis Island, F1 and Not Just a Goof


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