I have very few places to talk about my retro European racing fascination. It’s not the most accessible topic of conversation. Fear not, kids. Everything old is new again. In 2019, Ford v Ferrari played in this fascinating world. This year, Michael Mann ventures back into this glamorous, volatile world with Ferrari. Will this luscious biopic take home the championship? Or is there a flat tire in its future? Read on.
Ferrari follows the goings on in and around the Ferrari organization throughout 1957. Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) struggles to deal with not only personal problems but also the increasing financial pressure in the European racing circuit. Shailene Woodley, Penélope Cruz, Patrick Dempsey, and Jack O’Connell co-star in the movie. Michael Mann directs Ferrari from a script by Troy Kennedy Martin.
Few worlds are quite as fascinating (to yours truly) as that of European auto racing in the mid-20th century. Ferrari is set at the pinnacle of this world of elegance, beauty and adrenaline. However, the film struggles in its decision to follow Enzo Ferrari. The legend’s life is almost sedate in this wild and reckless world.
RELATED: Movie Review: All of Us Strangers
In Adam Driver’s hands, Enzo Ferrari is stoic and surly. It’s rare that the character’s facade crumbles to show any repressed emotion. This is surprising as we watch him struggle through challenging domestic issues, namely his crumbling marriage to Laura (Cruz) and his scandalous relationship with his mistress (Woodley). While Driver is certainly one of the best of his generation, he struggles to salvage Enzo’s charisma and likability.
At the same time, each lead stumbles in the face of this unforgiving script. Particularly, Driver and Woodley seem uncomfortable working in the needed Italian accents. While this isn’t meant to disparage either performer, the casting decisions are unfortunate. Why couldn’t Italian performers be used in a story as fundamentally Italian as this one?
At the same time, the script’s focus on domestic elements places a weight on Driver and Woodley’s performance, leading the movie to sag in preventable ways. Why are we spending so much time in Enzo Ferrari’s toxic personal life when a host of charismatic and interesting racing drivers exist just outside the main narrative? Tragic, romantic and charismatic history happens onscreen … the script just doesn’t care.
RELATED: Movie Review: Dream Scenario
This grows painfully apparent in the third act. Even a quick Google search easily addresses this history with discussions of “The Kiss of Death” photograph featuring actress Linda Christian (Sarah Gadon) and Alfonso de Portago (Gabriel Leone) taken shortly before the brutal crash, which serves as the film’s final set-piece. These characters are very much present in the world of the story, but they are left with little to do.
That said, the film does truly understand auto racing. While the crash scenes do come off a bit CGI-heavy, when the racing is allowed to play out, it is riveting to watch. There just isn’t enough of it.
Ferrari brings with it lofty expectations. Coming from a heralded filmmaker like Michael Mann, the period drama wants to be too much. This wants to be an in-depth and meaty character exploration in a world equally meaty. Unfortunately, it seems intent on focusing on all the wrong things. Just let this be a racing movie. There’s so much fascinating stuff here, but Ferrari never quite finds its footing.
Ferrari opens in theaters around the country on December 25, 2023.
Check out our other movie reviews here.
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/saltburn-movie-review-emerald-fennell-barry-keoghan-jacob-elordi/
- Movie Review: A COMPLETE UNKNOWN - December 10, 2024
- Movie Review: Y2K - December 7, 2024
- Classic Film Through a Feminist Lens: WHITE CHRISTMAS - December 5, 2024
