F1

Thirty years after an accident nearly ended his career, Sonny Hayes returns to Formula 1 racing in order to prove that he’s still the best in the world. Unfortunately for Sonny, his hotshot rookie teammate doesn’t make his return any easier. 

Now, I should probably state up front that I don’t know anything about Formula 1 racing. Hell, I barely know anything about cars, let alone anything about racing. But I’m happy to report that my lack of knowledge did not prevent me from enjoying this movie.

F1 tells a compelling story about redemption. So if you’re not a fan of Formula 1, racing, cars, or sports in general, you don’t have anything to worry about; the story is riveting enough to keep you’re engagement. 

Sure, there are plenty of racing sequences - as one may expect in a movie like this - but they’re all incredibly well done. Thanks to Joseph Kosinski’s directorial style, the film has a kinetic energy that makes every race feel gripping and thrilling as hell. I was even on the edge of my seat during certain sequences! Plus, all of these sequences were visually stunning. F1 is a beautifully sleek film that looks absolutely gorgeous on a large IMAX screen. But the character-driven story is just as engaging as all of the racing. 

Before he could even prove his own greatness, Sonny Hayes had his life ripped away from him. To the point where people don’t call him a “has been,” they call him a “never was.” Now, all these years later, he’s finally been given the chance to redeem himself. But is he still as good as he once was? Does he actually have what it takes to win a Formula 1 race? How can he compete when his younger teammate cares more about making a name for himself? These are interesting questions that do make for a rather compelling story. 

Sure, it’s easy to predict how the relationship between Sonny and his younger partner is going to develop, but that doesn’t make the dynamic between the two characters any less interesting. I absolutely loved watching their relationship develop, especially since Brad Pitt and Damson Idris had some really solid chemistry together. But everyone else in the cast is also really good. 

Javier Bardem is great as the desperate owner of the racing team; Tobias Menzies is fun as a weaselly member of the board; and Kerry Condon is exceptional as the technical director of the team. Her performance is actually a highlight of the film! So, while I’m only familiar with her voice work as F.R.I.D.A.Y. in the MCU, I definitely hope she’ll get the chance to star in more projects in the future. And the same goes for Damson Idris as well. 

Because, while older viewers will probably relate to the struggles of Sonny Hayes, younger viewers will probably relate to the struggles of his character, JP. So the age gap between Sonny and JP allows the film to tell a story that can theoretically resonate with anyone. That story may be a bit predictable, that doesn’t mean it’s not good.  

This is a genuinely good movie. One that is sure to appeal to hardcore Formula 1 fans and general audiences alike. I’m surprised that the movie wasn’t released a week or two ago, so that it could’ve capitalized off of Father’s Day weekend. Because, while F1 may not be a father centric story, it’s a movie that dads everywhere are bound to love. 

It may not be as good - or as emotionally satisfying - as Top Gun: Maverick, but it’s still a really damn good film! It reminds us that road to redemption can’t be traveled alone. And with a powerful message like that, combined with all of the other good elements, this is definitely Joseph Kosinski’s second best film to date. 

So, if it wasn’t already obvious, F1 is a great movie that would definitely get a recommendation from me.