Ford v Ferrari (2019) Review

 

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Ford v Ferrari follows Ken Miles and Caroll Shelby as they are tasked by Ford to build and race the ultimate race car to against Enzo Ferrari’s cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1966.

I’ll be honest, I had relatively low expectations going into this and it far surpassed them. 2019 was a hell of a year for the movie industry and this one was no exception. Movies based in history always have a certain allure to them, and this was a super intriguing story, especially being one I had never really heard before. And for being spread over a couple years, the pacing is excellent, utilizing well used time jumps and having events play it in the testing process to foreshadow and give payoffs to events later in the film. It was all so poetic in a way, with Ken getting shafted multiple times, but still willing to risk it all for the thrill of racing, which would be the same way he goes out, a mere scene after getting screwed over from winning the Le Mans race by the Ford execs. Which is ironic in a way with Ford starting out as the heroes in this way, but flipping to have Ferrari, the opposition, be the one to recognize Miles’ excellence and determination. And to think this all started because Ferrari wouldn’t sell to Ford.

I’m a fan of Christian Bale, but genuinely, his performance in this has to be seen to be believed. He is nothing short of fantastic with his rough around the edges and rebellious nature, mixed with that brilliant Brummie accent that somehow defines his character quite wonderfully. He perfectly captures the attitude and grit of a man who is much more than a driver, but knows them like he knows himself. The rest of the cast adds much to the heart and division within the film, including Matt Damon, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, and Josh Lucas.

Directed by Logan’s James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari is less about the battle between these two super giants of the car industry, but more built to showcase how brilliant and ahead of their times Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles were. And while it took some liberties with the material, they were made believable and in good taste, in this thrilling race towards history.

9.2/10