Ford v Ferrari

Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Tracey Letts, Remo Girone, Ray McKinnon, JJ Feild
Directed by: James Mangold
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Drama
2019

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A car designer (Matt Damon) and a reckless driver (Christian Bale) team up to build a car that will allow Ford to compete (and hopefully defeat) Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

Review:

Tim: During the awards season for 2019, Ford v Ferrari received a good deal of acclaim, including 4 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. That seemed so strange to me, because it didn't look all that good. Well, I was wrong. This movie is exceptionally well made. James Mangold is an impressive director and he takes an interesting story and executes it so well that he crafts a great movie. This is absolutely on my top 10 list of 2019.

There's so much to unpack in this film. First off, it's a classic underdog story, pitting the American company Ford against the pompous, overconfident Italian firm, Ferrari. This underdog mentality is about the companies, but it also applies to Ford's driver, the humorous and self-destructive Ken Miles. This all comes to a head during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a remarkable and intense race. Mangold doesn't skimp on the character development, though. That's one reason why this movie is so long. It's better for it, because we not only identify with and care about Miles (and his family), but Carroll Shelby as well. This story is part engineering feat, part thrilling race movie, and has a lot of dramatic elements mixed in as well. It's a great example of taking a true story and crafting a wonderfully entertaining film around it.

I want to dig more into Mangold's effort here. You can't discount how critical he was to the film. This could have been "just" a good movie. The reason it's great is because of how Mangold crafts the story. The focus on the characters, the intensity of the race sequences, the continuous humor and levity throughout- it's a film where the tone hits all the right notes and just simply works. This movie did win two Academy Awards, both in technical categories- Best Film Editing and Sound Editing. That speaks to the exceptional execution. That's truly a differentiator for this film. A quick note about Mangold- this is the 10th film of his I've seen, the 4th great movie, and, perhaps most surprisingly, none of them were rated below 7 (which signifies a "good" movie). He is an impressive talent.

The cast here is fantastic. The pairing of Matt Damon and Christian Bale is a dream match up. Damon is excellent as Shelby- his role is a bit reserved, but he's funny and charismatic and driven in a way you don't often see. Damon is undeniably talented and he hits a home run with this role. He is so enjoyable. Bale likewise gives a tour de force performance. I'm not sure Bale is a great guy in real life, but he's one of the most talented actors out there. He slimmed down for the role and was utterly fantastic as Ken Miles. He's arrogant and a bit unhinged, but he's a great father and so funny as well. Damon and Bale work exceptionally well together. It was one of the great pleasures of this film to see both men in such high impact roles.

The supporting cast is strong, too. I love Jon Bernthal and was really glad to see him in a small role here, playing a role unlike most that he takes. That was a nice change of pace. Josh Lucas was perfect for his role. He has this ability to be so grating, so slick that your blood boils when you see him. He's done this kind of role before, but he just works so well in it. I continue to be amazed by young Noah Jupe. I was blow away by the first role I'd ever seen him play (in Wonder) and he likewise excels here. He could be an all-time talent if he stays focused. The one downside to the cast is it's very male-centric. Caitriona Balfe does good work, but it's in a limited capacity.

Mangold does a terrific job of making compelling scenes throughout the film. The early stages when Shelby is trying to put together his team and convince Henry Ford II they can win are enthralling. The engineering and testing scenes are likewise so compelling. This all builds to Le Mans and that's where Mangold shines. The race scenes are incredibly intense and exciting. Surprisingly, the scenes in the pit and in the viewing boxes are nearly as compelling as those on the track. At the end of the movie, the film throws a few unexpected curve balls as well. It all adds up to a thrilling, memorable film. The movie was surprisingly emotional, too. Throughout the course of the film, you grow to like these characters. You become invested in their story and you want them to be okay. I do want to comment on the fact that Mangold made this movie 2 hours and 32 minutes. That's absurdly long and in the hands of a less competent director, would have been one of my biggest complaints. Here's the thing, though- Mangold needed all that time. He doesn't squander it. Every scene matters. There's so little fat on a movie this long- that's an amazing feat in and of itself. That's a big reason why this movie is so effective.

I didn't expect it, but I loved Ford v Ferrari. It tells a true story that is illuminating, exciting, and surprisingly emotional. It features strong performances and excellent direction. There might be similar movies made over the years, but you don't think of that while watching. You get sucked into this movie and that's all that's on your mind. This is absolutely one of the best films of 2019.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8


If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Fighter, Walk the Line, Driven