Driving in Cars with Boys

A friend and I got the chance to go see Ford v Ferrari last weekend, and we loved it! The movie is based on the real-life racing rivalry between the two auto giants, which played out at the French race Le Mans during the 60s.

After an unsuccessful attempt by Ford to purchase Ferrari, the Italian auto maker insults the Ford executive team (and Henry Ford II himself). In retribution, Ford decides to bury Ferrari at Le Mans. He hires American car designer and racer Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon) to help him do it. Shelby brings on British-born Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale) as both a mechanic and driver, and away we go.

First of all, the casting in this movie is superb. From the get-go, Miles is difficult to deal with and chafes under the Ford executive team. Bale dropped some weight for the part, and in addition to looking more like Miles himself, he embodies the sharp angles - all severity, edges and points - of the character. Damon, as Shelby, is softer, rounder, more fleshed out, and Shelby is able to be the comfortable person that accommodates disparate parties and does all the things that Miles can't do (or doesn't know how to do) to get the team to Le Mans.

For me, Tracy Letts was also a huge stand-out in his role as Henry Ford II. From the beginning, nothing is wasted by this actor. Ford comes across as utterly efficient - every word, gesture, facial expression, decibel of voice has meaning and weight, and Ford doesn't expend an ounce of energy that isn't required. (And when I realized this was the same actor that played the father in Lady Bird, I was even more impressed. Nicely done, sir!)

It was also good to see Catriona Balfe as Molly, Miles' wife. Again, pitch-perfect, not trying to overdo it, just showing up completely in a way that makes sense. From a script perspective, I loved how Molly knew who she married and accepted/loved him, didn't try to change him. She understood him and allowed him the space to be who he was/needed to be. It was lovely to see. (In general, I credit the whole cast and team with not overplaying. Both the script and the acting were tight as a drum.)

Performances were believable and had the right level of energy, leaving plenty of space for another star - the cars!! They are gorgeous!! The movie depicts several races that are incredibly dynamic. Many times, I feel that film action sequences are gratuitous. They can end up coming across more as displays of effects or fancy fight work rather than moving the story and/or the characters forward. Not so in this movie. The races not only moved the plot, but they revealed important character details. We saw characters grow during races. It wasn't just about fast cars and effects. (But I'd be remiss if I didn't send a HUGE fist-bump to whomever choreographed the races and manned sound crew on this production. The races were beautifully shot. Sound was AMAZING and immersive. Sound went a long way toward making me feel like I was actually there. Fantastic work.)

In the end, though, the movie is really about relationships, especially the relationship between Shelby and Miles - two colleagues who have mutual respect for one another and become close friends. And what a friendship like that can look like against the high-pressure backdrop of international competitive racing (with millions of investment dollars on the line). The great thing is, this movie hits all of those targets - the writing, the casting, the performances, the effects, the pacing, the sound/technical values - and it still gets the heart part right. Very well done.

I'd be surprised if this movie doesn't garner at least a couple of Oscar nominations. Worth seeing!