For Two Automotive Experts, Winning a Race Will Take More Than Speed

Matt Damon and Christian Bale in "Ford v Ferrari"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Director James Mangold is someone who has tackled several genres throughout his career, such as psychological dramas, romantic comedies, horror films, biopics, westerns, action movies, and superhero films.  Having done so, Mangold has proven that he can deliver memorable drama, such as in films like “Girl, Interrupted” and “Walk the Line,” terrific thrills, like in “Knight and Day” and “The Wolverine,” and sometimes, a combination of the two, such as in “3:10 to Yuma” and “Logan.”

He accomplishes the latter with his sports drama, “Ford v Ferrari,” a film that provides a huge canvas to showcase a gifted cast, its inspiring true story, and breathless racing sequences. 

In the 1960s, automotive designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), British professional driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), and a group of American engineers are chosen by Henry Ford II (Tracey Letts) to create the Ford GT40, which they will use to compete at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France with the hopes of defeating the Ferrari racing team.

Damon’s performance is that of an individual who is passed his prime in terms of racing, but is determined to ensure a victory for Ford.  He shows Shelby’s passion for racing as his character begins to set the pieces in motion for Ford to take on Ferrari, exhibiting someone whose quest for the winner’s circle is always in his blood.  The deepest fascination of Damon’s performance comes from how he displays someone who knows racing from both the technical side and the business side, and seeing those two mindsets converge makes it intriguing to see an individual use his extensive know-how to maneuver his way around the boardrooms and the sidelines of the track, offering Damon a chance to revel in the humor and moving determination of his character.

Just as Bale (who acted in Mangold’s “3:10 to Yuma”) has done in many of his previous movies, he loses himself in his character and always shows that he won’t settle for anything less than authentic.  Whenever he’s on screen, you can’t help but smile at the passion that Bale brings to his performance.  With Bale portraying Mile, a character who exudes confidence in his knowledge of tearing up the track, Bale shows a great deal of wit Miles outsmarts the people who doubt him, while also supplying his performance with some emotional touches.  The latter is exemplified in one of the best scenes of the movie, where Miles gives his son, Peter (Noah Jupe), a short speech about driving the “perfect lap,” in which Bale shows his character’s enthusiasm in a quiet, yet emotional way that’s punctuated by Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders’ score and the lighting from the dusk help set a contemplative mood as Miles shares his love of racing with his son.  Although Bale has many memorable scenes that will make you laugh with Miles’ outgoing and eccentric personality, this is the scene of his performance that will likely stay with you the most. 

The film also comes with a stellar supporting cast, such as Letts; Jupe; Caitriona Balfe as Miles’ wife, Mollie; Jon Bernthal as Lee Iacocca, the vice-president of Ford; and Josh Lucas as Leo Beebe, a Ford executive.  With some of these characters believing in the work of Shelby and Miles and others not believing in it, there’s enough tension between these characters as we watch them try to arrive on the same page in regard to what it is that they wish to achieve.

The screenplay by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and Jason Keller does well in pacing the story as it presents us the many facets of this true account.  While Shelby and Miles meet each other pretty early in the movie, the story then keeps them separated for quite some time, allowing us to get to know these two characters individually before they solidify their friendship and begin working together.  Included with these interactions are some detailed views of what goes on behind the scenes in the racing world, where we have discussions in executive offices and at maintenance sites that help bring you into the layers and exhilaration of this sport.

Running at two and a half hours, the film earns every bit of that time.  For the first three quarters of the movie, other than shedding enough focus on the dynamics between Shelby, Miles, and the other characters, the movie dedicates some time to giving us a bit of racing here and there, such as the 24 Hours at Daytona race.  Then, for the final quarter, the movie uses most of its time for the climactic race in France.  With the amount of time that we spend on this race, we feel the long hours that go into this event, having Miles transition from the excitement of the track to exhaustion as he has someone take over for him until it’s time to get back in the driver’s seat.  There’s a lot of buildup to this race, and you’re given a chance to experience the grandness of this day-long celebration of the thrills that racing offers.

Mangold assembles an effective team of people with whom he’s worked before to get the most out of the racing scenes.  The cinematography by Phedon Papamichael, who worked with Mangold on “Identity,” “Walk the Line,” “3:10 to Yuma,” and “Knight and Day,” offers many amazing visuals for the racing sequences.  Whether the shots come from inside or outside of the car, you’re left in awe as you try to imagine what it must be like to be going 200 miles per hour as you burn the pavement.  When this is all combined with the careful editing by Michael McCusker (who collaborated with Mangold on his last five movies) and Andrew Buckland, you’re almost left either swaying in your seat as the cars go around turns or being pushed back in your seat when the cars hit a straightaway.

“Ford v Ferrari” is a wonderful tribute to what people can accomplish when they push their talents further than they ever have, and once this film brings you across the finish line, you’re guaranteed to feel a sense of triumph.

Grade: A