Ford v Ferrari
2019's FORD V FERRARI follows the Hollywood Playbook very closely, and for me that's its ultimate undoing. My gripes are pretty much entirely with the screenplay, credited to Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, along with Jason Keller. The story is true, and perfect fodder for a movie. But circumstances are milked for corn and even schmaltz at times, and the dialogue is so cliched that I bet even Syd Mead would wince. The natural drama of auto racing alone would make a compelling movie, and had at least one or two times prior. But folks want compelling characters behind the wheel, too. We do get them.
Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) salesman of high performance vehicles, recruits speed racer/mechanic Ken Miles (Christian Bale) to help him (and his benefactor, the Ford Motor Company) build a car that can beat the famed Ferrari 330 P3 at the 1966 Le Mans contest. Shelby was the 1959 victor of the annual race in France but his cardiovascular conditions forced retirement. He's an affable, peace making sort who finds himself smoothing relations between his friend and corporate types, who correctly peg the fiery Brit as a maverick. This leads to various battles with Ford brass when Ken, the most qualified driver by a long shot, understandably wants to pilot the new GT40 Mk II. He aggressively does not fit their team player image. If you can't discern that this will somehow figure into the finale, you need a new hobby.
FORD V FERRARI, which might've had a more accurate title in SHELBY AND MILES V FORD, wants to be about the Individual v The Entity, and has us rooting for our guys as they win battle after battle before the grueling 24 hour race commences. But the film, well directed by the always dependable and skillful James Mangold, unnecessarily pads a lengthy running time with scenes oh so common to stories of the (sorta) David and Goliath variety. While events do eventually trek off a bit differently than we might expect, everything comes down to a final scene in which a character surveys tragedy and then races off into a sunset. Cut from the mold of a thousand before it. On the way there are familiar scenes of (mild) domestic angst between Miles and wife Mollie (Caitriona Balfe, best known for her lead role on Outlander) and son Peter (Noah Jupe). Some of the comical and tender moments between husband and wife are directly lifted from movies like THE RIGHT STUFF.
Now, the editing by Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland is sensational. As is Phedon Papmichael's cinematography (impressive for being merely digital), on and off the track These are key elements. The actors, particularly Bale, do solid work. I also liked Tracy Letts as Henry Ford II, all intimidation and bluster. Mangold fashions everything professionally and perhaps was going for an homage to the types of Movies They Used to Make. But give me Steve McQueen's near ethereal LE MANS any day over this (somewhat ironically) corporate product.
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