Ford v Ferrari (2019)
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Ford v Ferrari Movie Review
Ford v Ferrari is a 2019 biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon. It’s such a mediocrity.
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“We’re lighter,
we’re faster,
and if that don’t work,
we’re nastier“
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American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. I do not care for cars or the automobile industry, I never have and I never will. But great movies ought to transcend your personal interest in the subject matter and make you invested, and that never happened here whatsoever.
The main problem with this film is its very dated, very clichéd approach and execution. This is the kind of almost extinct mid-range, middlebrow, by-the-numbers Hollywood star-movie which has gotten quite quaint by now. The entire story is beyond predictable and obvious in its every plot point. The emphasis on overlong car races also hurt the film as it led to an excessive runtime. It simply bored me, and I was never invested in it, not in a single scene which is crazy.
Speaking of those stars, they aren’t great either. The supporting players are all quite forgettable whereas Matt Damon also doesn’t leave that much of an impression in what is one very subdued, unimpressive role. Quite the contrary is the case with Bale who here chewed the scenery like crazy. His every mannerism, his facial expressions and the way he carries his himself are all extra-calculated for awards season, and I am so glad that he got passed on in favor of other performers as this show of his was incredibly annoying to watch.
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Ford v Ferrari certainly sounds great, the races look good and the overall details and production design are strong. But the dialogue is not great, the entire story is very uninteresting, the pacing is slow and there are many plot points that are only there to prolong its excessive runtime. The Academy nominating this tired vehicle was a horrendous choice in my book.
Ford v Ferrari is the type of archaic mid-range, middlebrow star-movie that has gotten really dated and tiresome by now. Its plot is so predictable in every moment, the pacing is slow and the runtime is needlessly prolonged. The races are also tedious as they are never-ending. Bale himself is incredibly annoying how aggressively he chewed the scenery. The Academy choosing this film for their rare ninth slot instead of so many more worthy films again goes to show that they themselves are just as much of a dinosaur as this lifeless picture.
