Le Mans '66 (known as the much better titled 'Ford v Ferrari' in North America) is the real life story of Ford Motor Company's efforts to design a new racecar to beat Enzo Ferrari's dominating racecars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a prestigious automobile race that focuses on endurance- the car that travels the greatest distance in exactly 24 hours is awarded the win.
Matt Damon plays Carroll Shelby, a former driver who won the Le Mans '59 and now works as a car designer and salesman. After Henry Ford II pledges to beat Ferrari, Shelby enlists the help of British- born driver Ken Miles, played by Christian Bale, to win Le Mans '66 and make history.
Before watching Ford V Ferrari, I had heard early reviews describing it as a crowd-pleasing, feel-good story, something akin to movies like Hidden Figures, The Martian or Green Book. And that's accurate. This film belongs to a specific genre of movie: an all-American true story about an underdog. There's a seemingly impossible challenge to overcome. A couple of down to earth guys who are the only ones who can accomplish it. A supportive but worrying wife character. White men in suits talking business and being underhand. Slimy Europeans trying to take away the glory from the good old U.S' of A. There's even a fun montage after a moment of self-doubt. It's a standard formula, one that has been seen many times in Hollywood, but one that undoubtedly works. (It's not even the first film to explore the nature of competition within race car driving, with Ron Howard's Rush exploring the infamous rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda.)
However, following a formula is not necessarily a bad thing; not every movie needs to reinvent the wheel to be effective. And whilst Ford V Ferrari features all the above tropes, it is also a masterfully crafted film with terrific performances and thrilling racing scenes. Yes, there's a Hollywood gloss to the film (as is present in many similar movies) but this quality does not necessarily detract from the core of the story or its characters. Though some would criticise the film for for being a crowd-pleaser at the cost of historical accuracy, Ford V Ferrari feels to me like a quintessential Hollywood story. It's not a film concerned with hyper-realism- the dialogue is expositional, the characters larger than life and real events are constructed to maximise tension- but several elements including the simplicity of the story, the talent on and behind the camera and the technical mastery on showcase made this one of my favourite films of the year. This is the sort of story that Hollywood was made for and built upon.
I cannot go much further into this review without heaping praise for the stunning racing scenes. The editing combined with the sound design and musical score is pitch perfect, and watching each of the sequences was an absolute joy and the most fun I have had in the cinema since Avengers Endgame. Director James Mangold has quietly been solidifying his place as one of the most underrated directors working today, having previously delivered the genuinely great Logan and Walk The Line. As a film score fan, Marco Beltrami's music was really effective in complementing Mangold's style and often helped to instil a sense of alternating tension and euphoria in each of the driving sequences.
Perhaps something worth noting is that this is a film that needs to be watched on the big screen (an over-used sentiment, I know) to fully appreciate the sound design and cinematography; without a quality sound system, I just don't know how special this film will feel at home, especially on a small screen. In any case, with word of a great box office opening weekend, it's fantastic to see an original mainstream movie thriving in a market saturated with franchises.
In addition to the draw of racecar driving (that will attract families and especially dads everywhere), Christian Bale and Matt Damon are a pairing that are sure to attract audiences, but it is Bale that really shines in the film. His portrayal of Ken Miles is warm, funny and charismatic; our attachment to him as a character makes every race nail bitingly tense, also due to how the film effectively sets up the stakes and the dangers of racing. In addition to the main pair, Noah Jupe- who plays Miles' young son, Peter- is a likable presence and adds to his recent string of terrific films (see Wonder, A Quiet Place and this year's Honey Boy).
Though the classic Hollywood underdog formula mostly works for the story being told, there are elements of it that perhaps feel predictable especially within the 2.5 hour run time. 'Worried wife character' is certainly a trope that I, for one, am tired of seeing, no matter how talented the actress that is cast. In addition to under-utilising Catriona Balfe as Miles' wife, a few of the 'men in suit' characters felt one note. Jon Bernthal as the marketing head for Ford Motors, for example, is under-developed (to be honest, Jon Bernthal is wasted in so many films considering his absolutely incredible run as Marvel's Punisher. There's literally about a dozen lists on Letterboxd pointing out his lack of screentime in..everything) and Josh Lucas' character felt like he was there to fill the role of 'Standard Antagonist'.
Given the recent discussion on Disney monopolies and 20th Century Fox's own acquisition by the House of Mouse, it is apt that the film critiques capitalism and the clash between corporate greed and genuine craftsmanship. The true underdogs are Caroll Shelby and Ken Miles, who not only have to battle the might of Ferrari, but the corporate nature of Ford Motor Company as well. This subtle reversal of the clear-cut David vs Goliath story was interesting to see in a film that, otherwise, plays things by the book.
TL;DR
Ford V Ferrari/Le Mans '66 is an immensely enjoyable movie for everyone in the family to watch. Bale and Damon make a great pairing that are easy to root for and the racing scenes, particularly the third act finale, are incredibly thrilling to watch and mostly make up for the slightly stale movie tropes and under-developed supporting characters.
Grade: A-
Thanks for reading this article! There are so many incredible films I am looking forward to in the next few months. Sam Mendes' 1917 trailer showed at the screening for Le Mans '66 and I am beyond excited for that, as well as Parasite and Weathering For You early next year. Still to come in 2019 is murder mystery Knives Out (my anticipation for this is through the roof) and Little Women. And, of course, Disney giants, Frozen 2 and Star Wars.
I do not own any of the images used in this post.
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