There is a scene in F1® The Movie where the image on the screen resembles a two-player video game. At the top of the screen is Sonny Hayes’ (Brad Pitt) point of view, and on the bottom half is Joshua Pearce’s (Damson Idris) view. Both men are behind the driver’s seat of their F1 vehicles, and when the signal to go is given, it feels like you are the one driving! There are a few moments like this in the film that make F1® The Movie stick out from other racing movies.
The film tells the story of Sonny Hayes, who was once considered a racing prodigy, but his career did not take off as expected due to an incident. The film starts with Sonny being part of a racing team. We see that he is hired for his experience and expertise in driving. Sonny is not about the glam and glitz of racing; he is there because he is looking for something. As the movie progresses, we find out what Sonny is chasing.
Sonny is visited by former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), who wants him to race for his team, APX GP. Ruben also wants Sonny to be a mentor to his racer, Joshua Pearce. Joshua is a good racer but has not won any races yet. He is a little full of himself, and Ruben feels that it hurts the team. Sonny agrees, and tensions flare when the two men finally meet and race together.
The mentorship that forms between the two men is not new; we have seen this before in other sports movies. We see how the younger guy thinks he knows better and how the older guy tries to teach him something new. The struggles they go through to work as a team, and then when things finally start working together. While this is a tried and true formula, there is something about the dynamic between Pitt and Idris that makes you feel invested in seeing how it is going to turn out.
One thing that F1® The Movie has is multiple storylines that show the many facets of Formula 1 racing. Not only do we get the drivers’ stories, but we also learn about the mechanics and designers who work on these cars. Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon) is the car designer, and as the movie progresses, we learn what drives her to design these cars. We also learn a little bit about Ruben and why Sonny is important to the team.
Again, this story has been seen before in other sports films, but it is the car races that set this one apart. Being behind the wheel not only puts you in the moment but also builds your anxiety level as the cars race across the screen. I guarantee you will not be able to sit still during the final few races.
Final Thoughts: F1® The Movie is action-packed and adrenaline on film. The performances are great from all the actors, but it is the races that steal the movie. Taking full advantage of the IMAX format puts you behind the wheel and into the action. This one needs to be seen on the big screen.
Kid-Friendly: The movie’s pacing might be slow for younger kids. The movie is over two and a half hours, and younger kids will feel it. There are bad words throughout the film, and some of the incidents during the races may be intense for younger children.
Violence: The movie is free of violence. There is bad language, and there are moments of men yelling at each other over racing issues.
Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he’s a nomadic racer-for-hire when he’s approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), owner of a struggling FORMULA 1 team that is on the verge of collapse. Ruben convinces Sonny to come back to FORMULA 1 for one last shot at saving the team and being the best in the world. He’ll drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the team’s hotshot rookie intent on setting his own pace. But as the engines roar, Sonny’s past catches up with him and he finds that in FORMULA 1, your teammate is your fiercest competition—and the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.