'Ford v Ferrari' was my number one surprise of 2020's awards season. For some reason this film just really didn't peak my interest. Perhaps for the fact it was renamed and poorly marketed in the uk or more likely that it was released in amongst a huge mountain of great films coming up to this most recent awards season. So many of the other films instantly grabbed my attention but something about 'Ford v Ferrari' just didn't in the same way. However once i finally sat down to watch it, i found myself very pleasantly surprised at how much i enjoyed this film. All my preconceived notions of 'this not being my kind of film' or it 'looking boring' washed away.
In 'Ford v Ferrari' we follow the true story of acclaimed driver and designer, Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and his friend, and fellow driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale). Ford motor company hires Shelby to design a car to represent the company at races which comes to include the famous Le Mans race in 1966. As Shelby gains more and more success we see the strain it puts on his friendship with Miles. We also see Miles struggle between following his dream and providing for his family, a story I'm sure hits home for many.
In the past i have found Matt Damon to be hit or miss and although certainly not his best performance, this one is a hit for me. Christian Bale's performance I had no doubts about, and he perfectly filled my expectations. The friendship between the two characters was very well captured by the two actors. There are also a number of other good performances throughout the film, Remo Girone as Enzo Ferrari and Tracy Letts as Henry Ford II to name a couple. However even though the acting talent is on-point for this film, personally i find it's not a stand-out part of this film.
What does stand out is the cinematography, something which completely took me by surprise. Not that I expected for the job to be poorly done, but that I thought in a film about cars and racing this wasn't going to be a focus point. I was perhaps expecting more 'Fast and Furious' and a little less 'Rush'. The racing scenes are an absolute treat with the camera seamlessly floating along closely behind and beside the cars getting so close to the action you can almost sense the speed and danger being shown. But the great cinematography does not stop when the cars do. The whole film is a smooth sexy homage to the story it tells. In most scenes the camera is slowly panning and dollying across the subject, barely ever staying stationary, even in the slower more 'talky' scenes, the camera constantly stays in motion as the film moves forward, pulling us with it through the story. There's one particular scene that sticks in my mind as I'm sure it did for many others, Ken Miles is left behind as the rest of the team of attending a race. He stays late working in their hanger-come-garage listening to the race on the radio, a plane lands outside and the light of the plane as it turns illuminates the scene casting shadows of the cars on the wall behind Ken. as the camera dolly's around him to the right, the shadows move to the left. The scene is beautiful and the symbolism of the shadows racing behind him as he listens to their sounds on the radio is plain to see. Certainly something I didn't expect to see in this film.
This film achieved 2 Oscars both well deserved and both for post production work. Winning for sound and also film editing. It's a pleasure to see these awards given to a film that truly exemplifies great editing in both sound and film, unlike some previous winners of these two awards (*cough* bohemian rhapsody *cough*).
Another resounding triumph of this film I want to mention is James Mangold's direction. With a good career so far with hits such as 'Girl, Interrupted', '3:10 to Yuma' and 'Walk the Line'. Mangold now seems to have 'found his style' recently correcting his mistakes with 'The Wolverine' creating the unmistakably amazing 'logan'. 'Ford v Ferrari' proves he can put together great films again and again, which seems to have won him the opportunity to direct some big name features, recently being signed onto direct an Indiana Jones project. Hopefully he can do less of a Wolverine and more of a 'Logan' with that!
I could go much more in-depth, and talk about many of the other great aspects of this film but I'm sure by this point you understand the fact that this film blasted my expectations and truly surprised me. As I say, I don't know where i got the idea that this film was anything less than what it is but i'm kind of glad i did. Without my preconceived feelings the film wouldn't have the opportunity to surprise me and grab my attention in the way it did. This is a film I'd recommend to not only a fan of motorsport but to any fans of great films. All this makes 'Ford v Ferrari' a film I would happily add to my collection and one I can't wait to watch again.
8/10
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