F1 The Movie, 2025.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski.
Starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Kim Bodnia, Tobias Menzies, Shea Whigham, Sarah Niles, Samson Kayo, Lewis Hamilton, Will Buxton, Joseph Balderrama, Callie Cooke, and Will Merrick.
SYNOPSIS:
A Formula One driver comes out of retirement to mentor and team up with a younger driver.
At a pivotal point during Joseph Kosinski’s F1 The Movie, Javier Bardem’s ex-racer-turned-Formula-One-team-owner Ruben breaks down to Brad Pitt’s disgraced “never-was” driver, Sonny Hayes, that they are failures and that even he doesn’t understand why they are chasing such elusive, fleeting, seemingly impossible success. The monologue could also be interpreted as a film director questioning the danger and insanity behind their work, especially when considering the filmmaker’s recent body of work.
It’s not a stretch to say that racing has never felt more real, exhilarating, and sensorial than in F1 The Movie. Such a towering feat has been accomplished by the Top Gun: Maverick filmmaker returning to the death-defying moviemaking philosophy of Tom Cruise, this time putting leads Brad Pitt and Damson Idris into Formula One vehicles and on tracks around the world, shot with a combination of cockpit and overhead cinematography that, in conjunction with thunderous sound design (a swirl of roaring engines, adrenaline-boosting thumping music from Hans Zimmer, and distant but audible commentary primarily meant to assist with understanding the rules and story of each race) and dazzling visuals (sparks flying and crashes) that seamlessly coalesce into a breathtaking experience that will likely never be replicated.
If there’s a question as to why anyone would want to go through the towering hardships of making any film this practically, let alone why actors would like to take up the training and do it for real, that’s also a theme here.
Having suffered some nasty injuries and then destroyed his reputation through gambling scandals, Sonny Hayes still professionally races, even if he doesn’t know the answer to what it’s all about for him. It’s certainly not about teamwork, as he somewhat jokingly and calmly threatens another driver not to lose his lead before taking his break during a 24-hour course. There is also a sense that he isn’t overly concerned about money or material possessions. And when he finds himself reunited with Ruben to join his failing F1 team as a driver and potentially save the program from being cut by financial investor Banning (Tobias Menzies), it becomes clear that Sonny doesn’t care about fame or social media clout, put off by his younger partner Joshua Pearce’s (Damson Idris) showboating.
Again, Sonny is not necessarily a team player himself; he is a hotshot who encourages flattery and hero worship, while often exuding a reckless yet laid-back, lone-wolf demeanor. Still, he knows what it will take from him and other members of the crew, including technical director and wind analyst Kate (Kerry Condon), who is tasked with altering vehicle parts to mitigate some of their disadvantages, to right the ship. Between that and Sonny being a damn good weasel at intentionally breaking and bending in-race rules to their favor (the film gets into planning and rules with specificity and clarity whether one watches F1 racing or not), they all might stand a chance at taking first place in one race, which would theoretically save the team.
A pleasantly significant amount of emphasis is also placed on Joshua, who thrives on the thrill of a race but is clearly falling into a troubling rabbit hole of chasing PR and social media buzz and frame rather than letting his efforts speak for themselves. There is a moment where Sonny has finally had enough of this, exclaiming to Joshua that all of it is just “noise”, which once again feels like Joseph Kosinski tapping into the bleak state of the film industry and influencer culture. It also serves as a general yet rewarding rallying cry to do what you love, while setting aside fame and fortune.
Those are the more interesting elements in an otherwise outrageously clichéd screenplay from Ehren Kruger (conceiving the story alongside Joseph Kosinski) that piles on every sports racing trope in the book. However, these filmmakers can get away with that due to the megawattage star power and charisma of Brad Pitt, typically front and center, effortlessly cool, and in pure movie star mode. There is a media briefing scene where Sonny answers each empty question with a cool “yes!”, which is also another fascinating contrast to how Joshua gobbles up that spotlight. More to the point, it feels as if very few actors in the world can pull off something so convincingly easy.
That’s also not to take away from Damson Idris, electric and dynamic in Joshua’s arc as well. Both characters are searching for a more profound clarity and purpose in their life choices and the reasons behind their actions. Even when F1 The Movie goes extra retro and cheesy, turning Kate into a love interest for Sonny, one wants to rebel against the corniness on display, but it works; these are movie stars who can take the most tried-and-true storytelling elements and make them engaging against all odds.
It’s enough to prompt one to consider whether there isn’t something wrong with the clichés themselves. There are proven formulas across all genres, and how they are handled and performed is what matters most. Bold filmmaking that brings Formula One racing to life with stunning authenticity also smooths over those potholes. F1 The Movie is a glorious return to blockbuster filmmaking of yesteryear, a reminder of how good we used to have it. May Joseph Kosinski, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and whoever else wage war against modern special effects through awe-inspiring practicality for as long as they live. At this rate, one of them might die for the righteous cause.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd
