Joseph Kosinski, who directed Tom Cruise’s bona fide smash ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, is also the director of the upcoming motor-racing adrenaline rush titled ‘F1’. To sum up F1 in a line – it’s about experiencing a visceral, high-speed head rush inside the claustrophobic cockpit of a racing car.
‘Top Gun Maverick’ and ‘F1’ have a lot of similarities – both are headlined by the world’s biggest superstars. One has the daredevil Tom Cruise while the other has the absolutely charming and handsome Brad Pitt. They both have top-notch soundtracks boasting of big pop stars like Lady Gaga in ‘Top Gun’ and Doja Cat in ‘F1’. But despite the comparisons, they are both very different. How ? Let’s find out.
F1 has Pitt playing the title role of a washed-out ageing race driver, Sunny Hayes. He gets a once-in-a-lifetime offer from his old colleague, played by Javier Bardem, to join his team of racers and help him qualify and possibly win the F1 title. It all seems very unlikely with Sunny’s ageing career and rising competition from Joshua Pearce played by the surprise package of the film – Damson Idris. There are so many subplots that add up and lead to that mind-numbing climax, and every actor and character has his or her space in this high-octane journey.
Take a look at F1’s trailer:
F1 is easily one of the best films of the year simply because it knows how to dish out what it promises to its audience. From the very first frame to the last, the build-up is so solid that you forgive some of the gaps and overlook the blunders. The camera work is sharp and the Hans Zimmer background score is hypnotic. It almost feels like the Inception sound on LSD. But the single best reason why ‘F1’ works so well on the big screen is – Brad Pitt bringing that good old-school charisma back to the big screens.
The director has clocked some bare-body money shots of Pitt to show that he still has got that sizzle, but it’s his face that really is the main draw. With those tossed-up hair and that blue-eyed grin he could sell you air for a dime, and you would buy a barrel! Another strong point of the film is the young actor Damson Idris, who is rock solid in his performance as Pitt’s adversary cum sidekick. His character is so nuanced and grey that it’s a delight to watch him in awe. He stands his own ground in the big stand-off scenes with Pitt and excels at his craft.
‘F1’ is not deep or serious. It doesn’t engage you much at that level. But it reminds us why we go to the theatres – to have a blast. At a time when this experience of having a good time in the theatres is getting less and less enjoyable, ‘F1’ is a reason to celebrate. Jump on that ride, fasten your seat belt because ‘F1’ is one hell of an adrenaline rush that you don’t want to miss!
4 out of 5 stars to F1.
