Gran Turismo

Starring: David Harbour, Orlando Blom, Archie Madekwe, Takehiro Hira, Djimon Hounsou, Darren Barnet, Maeve Courtier-Lilley, Daniel Puig, Geri Horner, Thomas Kretschmann
Directed by: Neill Blomkamp
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Adventure, Sport
2023

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Based on the true story of a video gamer (Archie Madekwe) who earns a spot in an experimental program to turn gamers into actual race car drivers.

Review:

Tim: Wow, Gran Turismo exceeded all my expectations. What a fascinating film. It's "based" on a video game, but not really- it tells the true story of a gamer who excelled at the most realistic racing video game ever created, winning a shot at competing as an actual driver. I couldn't believe this story was true and I was amazed when I read about the real guy afterwards. It's also the best movie Neill Blomkamp has directed since District 9 fourteen or so years ago. This is a rousing, inspiring, incredible story and one of the more pleasant surprises of 2023.

Look, I'll admit that outside of the video game angle, the film does follow the typical path- guy comes from nothing to get his shot at fame and glory. He goes through the expected ups-and-downs, runs into big challenges, faces off against the typical antagonists, before getting a final shot at glory. It's formulaic, yes. That matters little, though, when Blomkamp executes as well as he did. Sure, I knew the broad strokes of the story before any of it happened, but it's still a thrilling ride- even if you're well aware of the destination. The movie always strikes the right tone- it's inspiring, but never cheesy. It's exciting, but never loses sight of the characters at the heart of the story. It has a few humorous moments sprinkled throughout the film to make us laugh on occasion. It features strong performances by actors who take the role seriously, but never are never over-serious about the film they are in. That all translates into a thoroughly enjoyable film that I could see myself watching again and again.

Car racing movies are always exciting- there's something so thrilling about watching fragile human beings strap themselves into monster machines that travel faster than we were ever biologically equipped to. And then, pit drivers against each other in a high-stakes sporting event where one misstep at the wrong time can end in a fiery crash. Death looms constantly behind the shoulders of these drivers, yet they race on. How can that not be wildly entertaining for viewers? Blomkamp does a great job bringing the racing scenes to life- they are high octane, intense, thrilling affairs. The visual effects, the cinematography, it all puts you right into the race and you never want to take your eyes off the screen. I loved some of the video game quirks brought into the races here. They amplify the story and remind us of the thousands of hours our protagonist spent racing these courses in the video game. I absolutely loved the racing scenes.

The cast here makes a huge contribution to the film's success. I've seen Archie Madekwe in two films prior to this one, and he seemed solid, but was relegated to the sidelines. He was a supporting character, not given enough time to showcase his skill. I was surprised by how good he was in this film. He carries the movie himself, with a layered and intriguing performance. We care about Jann, are interested in him and his story. It's an exceptional performance from a young actor who I don't think has a lot of experience carrying movies himself. In the two previous films I've seen him in, I remembered him, but I didn't find much noteworthy about him. Madekwe, I'm taking notice now. I expect to see him again on the big screen before long. His performance exceeds any expectations people could have had about him. Great casting.

David Harbour needs his own paragraph. I love this guy and I'm so happy about his career explosion that followed his wonderful work on Stranger Things. He's an exceptional talent and one of the great supporting actors out there. His performance here is amazing. He bring so much humor and heart to the role of Jack Salter. Why does this movie work as well as it did? Harbour plays an outsized role in that. Everything he does in this movie works. It's a funny, memorable supporting performance. He makes Madekwe better, he brings out the best in Orlando Bloom. Harbour's importance to this film can't be overstated- he's perhaps the best thing in it. Speaking of Bloom, I was so glad to see him here. He doesn't make nearly enough films. I'm always struck by how often he pops up in really, really good movies. I wouldn't say I loved his performance here, but it's never bad. It's definitely a lesser supporting performance and he doesn't get nearly as much as Harbour to do, but I wouldn't have anyone else in this role. I really appreciated getting to see him in this role. The cast continues to be great with Djimon Hounsou, an actor of whom I've long been a huge fan. His role in this film is so critical and they couldn't have found anyone better to play it. I liked the performance of Maeve Courtier-Lilley, although I wish she had more screen time. Women needed to play a larger role in this film. The cast are all wonderful, though- they are a huge reason why this is such an entertaining movie.

I know the film received some controversy for shifting one of the more tragic events of the film to an earlier time period, to tell a more compelling and emotional story. I get the criticism, but movies based on true stories do this all the time. I actually felt more glad they used a real event, verses a completely manufactured one that they could have dismissed as artistic license. I felt like they treated it with respect and I admit it makes the story better.

I really liked so much about Gran Turismo. It's absolutely one of the better films of 2023 and one of the most pleasant surprises. I think it's ultimately a tad too formulaic for me to call it a "great" film, but it gets so incredibly close. I have to admit, after watching Blomkamp's horrible Demonic (one of the worst films I've seen in recent years), I wondered if he was done. Based on how good this film is, I think we chalk that one up to weirdness regarding the pandemic. I don't think Blomkamp has lived up to his talent thus far, but Gran Turismo is truly a step in the right direction. Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7.5



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