VIFF 2019 | 'Ford V Ferrari' Movie Review
11/12 ForReel Score | 4.5/5 stars
Most people enjoy an underdog story. Add in an amusing cast, some laughs, some egotistical drama, and a whole lot of intense car racing, and Ford v Ferrari is a film audiences can get excited for.
Ford v Ferrari tells the true story of how race car engineer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and British driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) set out to build the fabled Ford GT40 with the primary goal of winning the 1966 La Mans race in France. The two must overcome differences with each other and with corporate bureaucracy in hopes of defeating their common adversary, Ferrari, on race day.
Ford v Ferrari is mainstream entertainment at its best. The film, which is directed by James Mangold and written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and Jason Keller, clearly establishes who to cheer for and who to despise as tension builds and feuding erupts between nearly all of the characters.
But it’s the dynamic between Damon and Bale that keeps Ford v Ferrari engaging. Damon’s straight-forward and professional demeanor frequently clashes with Bale’s unhinged and volatile temperament. But it's their individual expertise in vehicles - Damon with resources and industry experience and Bale competent at managing high performance - that makes them an undeniably great team.
The way the story’s told might feel contrived at times, but that doesn’t stop Ford v Ferrari from being fun. It’s a film that should be experienced in theaters, because with thrilling race sequences and roaring sound design, Ford v Ferrari is exactly that: an experience.
Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 1 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference - 2 | What does this mean?