That said, I am astounded how much I enjoyed "Ford V Ferrari," which is the quintessential car racing movie. It is full of testosterone and I recommend you see with one of your best guy friends. I did.
Admittedly, I know little about the so-called sport, but that's not a requirement as you can pick things up pretty quickly with the very linear structure of this film, directed with pinpoint precision by James Mangold. The plot is very simple. Back in the early 60s, the Ford Motor Company was not winning the big car races of the world e.g., Daytona, LeMans. To make matters worse, they always see their major European competitor, Ferrari, at the finish line. As a result, Henry Ford II (a possible Supporting Actor nomination for Tracy Letts) engages with a rogue car designer (Matt Damon) and an unorthodox British driver (Christian Bale) to get Ford over the finish line.
Naturally, there are hills and valleys. Ups and downs. Successes and failures. The process gets sidetracked a few times by Ford's tendency to over-committee the development of their race cars. But, nevertheless, you can expect the outcome. Granted I didn't know what really happened back then. Still, it was a thrill a minute, especially in the expertly executed race sequences.
While the plot sometimes is going 700 mph like the cars, it is odd that Mangold takes a long time trying to figure out how to end his movie. It seems to conclude three different times and that contributes to the slightest bit of fidgeting as the movie comes in at 2 and a half hours of running time. Still, that is the smallest quibble because, overall, the film is just plain fun.
Okay, has "Ford V Ferrari" turned me into a car racing fan? Nope. I still don't think it's a sport. But, as a compelling diversion in multiplexes crowded with Disney cartoons and Marvel superheroes, this movie works just fine.
Gentlemen, start your engines.
LEN'S RATING: Three-and-a-half stars.
Dinner last night: Salad.
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