‘F1: The Movie’ is a Long Episode of ‘Drive to Survive’
Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt in F1: The Movie | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures, Apple Original Films
F1: The Movie takes us into the world of F1, when a retired driver, Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), is pulled out of retirement to try and help his friend save his failing racing team.
While I enjoy the show Drive to Survive, I didn’t have much interest in seeing this film. I’ve already watched the reality TV version of F1, so why would I need to watch the film version of it? And, honestly, this film felt like a longer version of Drive to Survive. This means that I had a fun time watching it.
The entire film is centered around these guys driving cars really fast around the track. That is a very thrilling thing to watch. Is it terrifying? Yes. But that’s also part of the fun for us as the audience. We get the second-hand thrill without any of the risk. And F1: The Movie captures that really well.
The sound design is also fantastic in this film, as you would expect from a film about racing cars. At times, we are taken inside the car as the characters are driving, hearing the roar of the engines and watching as the scene wizzes by them at truly shocking speeds. We hear the roars of the engines, the squealing of the tires, and the horrifying silence after a terrible crash. The film is incredibly effective in putting you into the world of these drivers and the rest of the team that make these races happen.
The inclusion of actual drivers and principals that we’ve gotten to know over the years through shows like Drive to Survive also lends some level of reality to what could otherwise feel like an absolutely unbelievable film.
Brad Pitt and Kerry Condon in F1: The Movie | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures, Apple Original Films
While F1 is a lot of fun to watch, I don’t understand why it was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Especially given that films like It Was Just an Accident and Blue Moon were snubbed from the category.
F1 is simply too long—I don’t know why this is over two-and-a-half hours long. If the length had been trimmed down, I think it could’ve really helped the film flow a bit better. There are some times throughout the film that really drag and don’t add much to the story overall.
The film also plays it pretty straight, taking the path of a normal sports movie. It doesn’t do much to deviate from or improve the genre. The script itself is fine, but it is not doing anything particularly novel or noteworthy within the established framework.
What F1 does have working for it is the natural charm of stars like Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, and Kerry Condon. These actors are so much fun to watch as they find themselves in these difficult situations. The starpower in this film is powerful enough to overcome the often poor dialogue and strange pacing of the screenplay.
All in all, F1 is a really fun film to watch, but it doesn’t have any business being in the Best Picture race, especially when there are so many other films that excel on both a technical and writing level. If you’re looking for more F1 content in between Drive to Survive seasons, F1 is the perfect movie for you.