'F1' Movie Review: Brad Pitt's Sports Drama Is A Classic Summer Blockbuster

Formula 1 (F1) has seen its fair share of rivalries — not just teams going against other teams, but teammates going against each other as well. If you’re a long time F1 fan, you probably know what I’m talking about. But if you’re an F1 fan because of Netflix’s Drive To Survive, then let’s run the clock back a bit. Way before Lando Norris vs Oscar Piastri, we had several iconic rivalries. Think Sir Lewis Hamilton vs Nico Rosberg; childhood friends and karting teammates who went on to drive together for Mercedes in a title battle in 2014. Think Sebastian Vettel vs Mark Webber at Redbull, which hit boiling point at the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2013 where Vettel didn’t pay heed to team orders and went on to overtake Webber.

Just like these conflicts, the film too revolves around the internal politics of APXGP (read Apex GP), mainly between retired racing legend Sonny Hayes, played by a bewitching Brad Pitt, and a young hotshot driver, Joshua Pearce (a formidable Damson Idris). It’s America vs Britain, it’s old vs new, it’s legend vs rookie. 

The movie opens with the imagery of crashing waves intercut with a crashing car; in a way, this sets the tone for the narrative that is to follow. Just like the opening scene, the film breathes before plunging headfirst into the world of high-stakes racing. 

Following an act like Top Gun: Maverick was never going to be an easy task, but director Joseph Kosinski is a smooth operator that brings his A game (as opposed to the A+ game he brought to the Tom Cruise-starrer). With special rigs created to fit inside the Formula 1 car and filming that took place on location at nine real F1 Grand Prix events from the 2024 season, Kosinski transports the audience straight into the driver's seat.

You also don’t have to worry about the two-hour 35-minute runtime, as co-writers Kosinski and Ehren Kruger ensure that the story is in constant motion. F1 moves like a prime Sergio Perez; not too fast and definitely not too slow. It’s funny, it’s dramatic, it’s over the top — an experience designed for the big screen... on IMAX.

A still from 'F1'

Another bonus with Kosinski films? The man knows how to present his heroes — especially the older men. Just like Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem’s characters are a representation of the director’s vision of these actors. Bardem wears a suit, is naturally funny and his physicality makes most scenes better than they are. Brad Pitt on the other hand is well... Brad Pitt. He’s nonchalant but endearing, made to wear a plain white T-shirt, eat and drink because that’s a genre in itself, and called handsome at various points in the film by multiple people.

Before the film begins, we are treated to a message from director Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer which says that they want F1 to be the best racing film ever made. To be fair to them, they deliver a solid racing film; one that captures the beauty, glamour, danger and perils of the sport very well. However, many sequences play out like an F1 fan's intrusive thoughts. Everyone wants to employ the tactics and tricks that Sonny Hayes does so effortlessly in the film, whereas in reality, we know that most of it is simply not possible. Still, it’s the simple joy of seeing and experiencing the forbidden fruit.

F1 also has 12 racing sequences. That’s 12 times that Martin Brundle and David Croft, iconic voices of the sport, don’t live up to expectations, as the commentary is one of the weakest links in the film, making the experience feel less authentic.

That being said, even if you know nothing about the sport, this movie will explain it for you. From technical terms like Drag Reduction System (DRS) and purple sectors, to various rules of the sport, the film takes its time to simplify most things. For hardcore fans, it might lead to some monotonous dialogues, but for those new to the sport, it is much needed.  

Ultimately, F1 is not made purely for lovers of the sport; it’s also a gateway for film lovers into the sport. And therein lie its strengths and weaknesses. For every expertly-crafted racing scene, there is an obviously scripted piece of commentary. For every well-performed silence, there is an over-the-top dialogue. For every Charles Leclerc, there is a Lando Norris... sorry to let personal biases creep into this review.  

But whether you’re new to the world of car racing or not, it’s a film that will engage you, make you laugh, collectively gasp, cheer, and keep you on the edge of your seats. For anyone that thought the summer blockbuster left, it never did. It just moved aside for a while.