If you’re looking to get out of the heat and crowds this 4th of July weekend, and thinking about a trip to your local cineplex, you’re probably considering F1. The latest Brad Pitt movie, coming from the same Director as 2022’s Top Gun Maverick, this is Apple studios’ attempt to get some much needed success on the big screen. Fortunately for them, F1 is mostly a win.
Sonny Hayes (Pitt) is an aging veteran race car driver, floating from circuit to circuit, racing anything with wheels. When he gets a visit from an old friend, he finds himself with the opportunity of a lifetime; a return to F1, the premiere racing circuit in the world. But this opportunity doesn’t come without strings. He’s going to have to find his way through a hot shot young driver who doesn’t want to learn from the old pro, an unproven technical director trying to make her mark with the most updated car design, and an owner on the verge of losing his team. Sonny finds himself caught between the positions of teacher, mentor, racer, strategist, and friend, all while trying to find that golden moment where the world drifts away and he can be one with the car, at 200mph.
F1 is a very good summer popcorn movie. It follows the formula, looks great, delivers big spectacle, provides enough plot and character work to keep the audience engaged, and doesn’t mess any of it up by trying to sell any particular message. You have the cocky new guy vs grizzled veteran dynamic. You have the aging driver fighting against his own complicated past. You have the power dynamics between a charismatic team owner and a shady board that wants to sell off the team. You have a little romance, and little rivalry, some crashes, and a lot of fast driving. It all works well.
The visuals and action are very good. The director (Joseph Kosinski) borrows more than a bit from his success in Maverick, doing his best to put the audience in the driver’s seat so they can feel the speed and excitement. I wouldn’t say it’s quite as effective as the cockpit scenes in Maverick, but it works. F1 racing can be overly technical and mired in rules and details. This movie plays with that enough to use it as a plot point, without getting bogged down. The character development is done well also. Damon Idris plays the hot shot young driver and brings the requisite cockiness while doing enough to make sure the audience understands his insecurities and doesn’t just write him off as a tool. Pitt does a good movie star job making Sonny Hayes feel like a legend, but also plays some vulnerability and depth. The cast includes other strong players like Javier Bardem and quite a few you might recognize from Apple TV shows or from British TV.
I don’t think you need to be into F1 or motorcar racing or even cars in general to enjoy this movie. It’s got plenty of stuff to excite the average moviegoer. It is a tad long at about two and a half hours, but it never felt like it was dragging on much. It’s rated Pg-13 for some language, but should be pretty safe for family audiences. F1 should check all the boxes for your next big summer blockbuster movie. Grab some popcorn and enjoy.
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