This movie isn't based on real events (at least not in the most literal sense), but I still decided to review it anyway.
In the plot of the film “F1”, the main character Sonny Hayes is a former Formula 1 driver who many years ago was considered a very promising talent, but after a serious crash he never managed to build a successful career. Years later, he gets invited back to the championship to help one of the weakest teams while also becoming a mentor to a young talented racer. From there, the film isn’t so much about the fight for wins as it is about generational rivalry, teamwork, and the price you have to pay for the sake of sport.
There aren’t any deep moral takeaways or life lessons in this film that you should adopt. Just as there’s no hidden meaning you’d need to ponder over for a long time, trying to figure out exactly what the director meant. Rather, everything here is surface-level, and the issues raised are familiar to everyone. The first one is age. When is it time to end your career and make way for the younger ones? And where’s the line when you’ve already passed on everything you could to the new generation? The second is teamwork. The film reminds us once again that in practically any sport, and in business too for that matter, it’s extremely difficult to achieve big results on your own. Formula 1 is a great example of just how much success depends on the work of the entire team. Finally, it also shows the dark side of big-time sports: there’s plenty of politics, battles for sponsors, conflicts within the team, and constant pressure from management.
I was lucky enough to see this film at the cinema on opening night. And watching it on the big screen is a massive advantage over watching it on a computer monitor, let alone a tablet or phone. The atmosphere of racing is conveyed incredibly well. The visuals and sound are so polished that during the viewing you get the feeling you’re sitting behind the wheel of a race car yourself. Without a doubt, this is one of the film’s biggest strengths. It’s shot in a truly Hollywood style, yet the world of Formula 1 is portrayed quite realistically. Brad Pitt also did a great job in the lead role — I think many people went to see this film precisely because of him. Since I’m listing the pros, I’ll add one more: after watching it, even if you’ve never had any interest in motorsports and never followed Formula 1, you could easily fall in love with this sport. The film does a really good job introducing the viewer to the rules of Formula 1, its unique characteristics, and why millions of fans love these races. Not many films are able to immerse you so deeply into the profession of a Formula 1 driver.
Now for the downsides. The plot is quite predictable, and some twists you can see coming well in advance. There’s a overarching intrigue of sorts, but at the same time it feels like there isn’t one at all. If you remove the racing scenes, the rest of the story unfolds along pretty familiar sports-drama templates. So for me, this is a one-time watch. Do I regret spending my time on it? Not at all. The film turned out good, but I personally don’t see the point in rewatching it. If you’re planning to see it, I highly recommend doing so on a big screen — whether it’s a cinema, a large TV, or a home theater setup.
