Not being a car aficionado, I had no previous knowledge of the true story behind what’s depicted in Ford v Ferrari. Having now seen it, I can confirm that it’s a story that all gearheads, history scholars, and movie buffs should know.
Jump back to the mid-60s, a time where American exceptionalism was heavily promoted, but not always proven. This lack of prowess was true when it came to high-performance race cars. While Italian powerhouse Ferrari had created a legacy in the racing circuits, they were not doing as well financially. This led the Ford Motor Company to make an offer to purchase their company, while still keeping the Ferrari name alive.
This interaction led to offense being taken by both manufacturers and Ford issuing themselves a challenge to make history and dethrone Ferrari as the champion of the 24-hour Le Mans circuit. Though, Ford wasn’t known for their sports cars and needed the help of Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) to build the car that would provide them the victory they so desperately wanted. Shelby knew that a great car would only get you so far. It was the driver that would put it past the checkered flag first. So he sought out the best, yet most unpredictable, driver he could find in Ken Miles (Christian Bale).
James Mangold knows exactly how to take genre films and give them weight. he’s done this before with super flicks (Logan) and musical bio-pics (Walk the Line). He satisfies the niche fanbase with the format they expect and adds layers of character development to make you relate to and sympathize with the stories’ focus. Mangold does this so well in Ford v Ferrari. He gives plenty of time to well-shot and thrilling races. Beyond that, he knows how much the audience needs to embrace the friendship and plight of Shelby and Miles. This is a character drama just as much as this is a showcase about top-of-the-line cars and races.
These two friends are at the top of their game talent-wise, but the plot never shows them as prevailing without issues. In fact, the entire journey is an uphill road for both. If there’s a villain here, it’s not the smarmy Ferrari team, it’s corporate bureaucracy. Context is important for the time period. It was the ’60s and Ford needed a win and wanted to create an image. So when working with these two men, who were ahead of their time, the process was not a smooth one.
Damon and Bale sell the roles entirely. I’d happily watch Damon in a stand-alone Carrol Shelby story, but it’s his counterplay and bond with Bale’s character that give this film something special. The supporting cast add so much to who these two characters are. So much credit goes to Catriona Balfe as Mollie Miles, Jon Bernthal as Lee Iacocca, and Ray McKinnon as Phil Remington.
At 2 1/2 hours, Ford v Ferrari requires too much of your time. However, outside of a few mustache-twirling actions by a Ford executive (played by Josh Lucas), I don’t know what I’d cut and still maintain the quality. This is a movie without the need of a villain. Ford v Ferrari is a story about reaching your potential through ingenuity and never accepting limits.
Ford v Ferrari will be a fantastic rental, but is worth seeing on the big screen if you’re looking for some white-knuckle intensity, combined with stellar acting. B+
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