Ford v Ferrari movie review

Written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and Jason Keller

Directed by James Mangold

rating: 🏆 most excellent

Henry Ford II enlists the help of racing legend Carroll Shelby and ruthless driver Ken Miles to dethrone Ferrari’s racing dynasty at Le Mans, the notorious 24-hour race in France. This movie is a ridiculously fun time at the theater. Chippy dialogue, larger-than-life characters, and adrenaline pumping action leaves the audience engrossed in the plot from start to finish. You don’t have to be a racing fan to be entertained by what I think is one of 2019’s best movies.

The onscreen chemistry and performances from Christian Bale and Matt Damon are award worthy. You feel their tension, frustration, competition, and drive. Matt Damon as the even-keeled Carroll Shelby is the anchor of the film, tying together all of the action and the drama. Christian Bale as the eccentric Ken Miles is the icing on top of a well-made film. His performance soars as he adds splashes of humor and drama.

The performances by the supporting actors are all spot on as well. Caitriona Balfe plays perfectly opposite Bale as the loving wife. Her character is strong and sassy and stands up to her husband, while still being a loving and supportive person in his life. The father son dynamic between Bale and Noah Jupe is incredible as well. Jupe delivered a performance full of joy, adoration, fear, and fierce protection that was truly impressive for an actor who is only 14 years old. Josh Lucas is a good old-fashioned antagonist. You love to hate him and find yourself rooting for someone to slap him and put him in his place.

It takes a village to make a film and the actors’ performances are able to shine because the village knocked it out of the park. The script is well written and full of honest and engaging dialogue that develops, at least to some extent, every single character in this movie. The set design transports you back in time to the sexy and gritty world of racing in the 1960’s. But what really stands out from the production team is the sound. The complexly layered audio allows you to hear and feel the racing. I highly recommend seeing this film in theaters for the incredible audio experience. Do yourself a favor and go see Ford v Ferrari, now playing in theaters.

Review written by Zianna Weston