Even with dynamite racing scenes, F1 struggles to outrace its crummy screenwriting

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In a nod to Charli XCX’s lyrics, Sonny Hayes, portrayed by Brad Pitt in F1, embodies the spirit of someone who’s always seeking excitement. Much like the singer from Essex, Hayes is no stranger to a fast-paced life, whether he’s driving taxis in New York City or racing NASCAR. However, an old friend, Ruben Cervantes (played by Javier Bardem), presents an intriguing proposition – a more stable job as a Formula One racer for his team APXGP. This offer comes from the past and could potentially take Hayes’ speed-driven life to new heights.

How can you captivate a man who seems unwilling to commit long-term? Cervantes simply tells Hayes that if you triumph in Formula One racing, you are considered the top in the global arena.

With that, we’re reintroduced to Hayes, who’s got a knack for denim reminiscent of Adam Sandler. After about three decades, he’s back in the Formula One scene, a world he seemingly abandoned. He shares this spot with Joshua “Noah” Pearce (Damson Idris), a newcomer who isn’t impressed by Hayes’ return. Tensions rise between them as other APXGP members, like technical director Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), question whether the former racer Hayes can still compete in Formula One. The only way to answer this question is to strap in, grab the wheel of a high-speed car, and see how we do on the track.

seldom do I encounter such an immense difference in visual quality within a film as the divide between the meticulousness of F1 racing scenes and dialogue-heavy segments in this movie. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, known for his work on Top Gun: Maverick and Only the Brave, along with his frequent collaborator Claudio Miranda, captures the Formula One races with an engaging intensity. Scenes focused on a Formula One car’s hood left me speechless. The film features a climactic sequence using this visual style that recalls the stargate scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey in terms of its sense of velocity and awe-inspiring visuals.

Even though I’ve never seen a Formula One race before, the on-track cinematography was captivating to such an extent that every tire screech or slight collision made me flinch. The tension and meticulous editing in these scenes were impressive, but strangely, they seem to disappear when people are just talking. In contrast to Kosinski’s brilliant use of wide shots and intricate framing seen in movies like “Tron: Legacy” and “Maverick”, the extended dialogue-heavy scenes in Formula One lack this visual flair. Instead of lingering, the images quickly transition, with close-up shots dominating and scenes not lasting long on screen.

A more impactful scene in the movie could have been when all APXGP team members unified, pounding their fists and shouting “Combat! Combat! Combat!”, with a continuous shot showing more individuals gradually joining in over an extended period. A broader camera angle would have allowed viewers to observe the interplay among APXGP staff, enhancing the connection between characters and boosting the energy of this camaraderie-building moment. Unfortunately, the use of short, uninspired close-ups diminishes the bond between F1 characters and lessens the thrill of this shared experience. Additionally, questionable lighting decisions often give characters like Cervantes an artificial appearance, making them seem as if they’ve been digitally inserted into ordinary scenes. It’s puzzling how footage taken at real Formula One races (which must have been challenging to manage) looks so polished while the scenes in F1 of people conversing in a garage appear so haphazard.

The main flaw of F1, however, lies in its script. More specifically, screenwriter Ehren Kruger, known for his work on less-than-stellar remakes such as Dumbo and Ghost in the Shell, along with the poorly received installments of Scream and Transformers, turns F1 into a lengthy film, heavily reliant on dialogue. Unfortunately, these numerous dialogues are used to rehash worn-out sports movie tropes, with the most notable being the mentor-protégé dynamic between Hayes and Pearce, which feels all too familiar.

In a way that resonates with audiences, both F1 and the film A Nice Indian Boy masterfully incorporate signature elements of their respective genres – crowd-pleasing entertainment and romantic comedies. While A Nice Indian Boy pays homage to classic Bollywood love stories like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, it also offers a fresh take on the genre with its unique emotional depth that reminds viewers why they cherish these heartwarming narratives. In essence, A Nice Indian Boy breathes new life into the familiar by passionately embracing a well-loved genre. On the other hand, Kruger’s F1 screenplay doesn’t seem to share the same fervor for sports dramas as its counterpart does for romantic cinema.

Instead, there’s a chilling lack of warmth in both the dialogue and character development. This, combined with its failure to bring anything new to the sports drama genre, makes its repetition of familiar lines and plot points feel more like laziness than a heartfelt tribute. The only distinct flavor in the writing of F1 comes when the film takes on the perspective of a middle-aged man frustrated with today’s youth. Hayes delivers a “participation trophy” jibe to Pearce, and later tells this youngster to stay off his iPhone (a rather ironic comment considering the movie is financed by Apple). Krurger’s writing is so fixated on making Hayes a role model for all apprehensive divorced dads that the other characters are barely sketched out figures.

In many instances, F1 features long scenes of characters talking in deserted Las Vegas parking lots or dimly lit European pubs, making the insignificance of these supporting characters strikingly obvious. Unlike Kosinski’s Only the Brave which skillfully created an ensemble cast that viewers could care about, F1 seems more like a platform to boost Brad Pitt’s self-image. Reminiscent of the times when people couldn’t stop talking about Ryan Reynolds’ good looks in The Adam Project, F1 repeatedly emphasizes its leading man’s attractiveness to the audience. Kruger’s script for F1 is bloated and lacks the high-octane car action that fans of Formula One movies expect.

When the IMAX screen is simply filled with cars speeding past, the engines of F1 race cars rev loudly. Kosinski skillfully uses his talent for creating grandeur to capture the thrill of racing, and Stephen Mirrione expertly edits these scenes. Despite lacking engaging characters in the driver’s seats, the car-focused segments of F1 are exciting. Regrettably, this only makes any scenes not taking place during a major race stand out more for their lackluster visuals and writing, as well as excessive product placement of Apple products. Occasionally, F1 manages to deliver on the “good time” that Charli XCX has been waiting her whole life for.

Two little sidenotes:

In a casual exchange between Hayes and McKenna, it’s revealed that prior to APXGP, McKenna (whose dialogue is delivered authentically by Kerry Condon) had been employed by Lockheed Martin. This detail struck me more than any racing scene. What heinous acts might she have been involved in at Lockheed Martin?!? And what could possibly motivate an Irish character to work for such a company? That’s disturbing on multiple frontiers.

Additionally, Kosinski has frequently enlisted well-known musicians and groups to compose soundtracks for his prior films. For example, Daft Punk scored Tron: Legacy and M83 did the music for Oblivion, while Lady Gaga teamed up with Hans Zimmer on the score for Top Gun: Maverick. Interestingly, though, Zimmer himself handled the soundtrack for the F1 movie… it’s a pity he didn’t work with artists like 100 Gecs, King Lizard and the Gizzard Wizard, or My Chemical Romance on these tracks. What a missed chance!

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2025-06-27 17:15