Review of the film "Ferrari" / Ferrari

In 2019, director James Mangold released the film Ford v Ferrari, which we translated as “The Outsiders.” Cinema allowed us to touch the world of cars and racing, which was in a very interesting position in the mid-20th century. Ford v Ferrari comes to mind when it comes to Michael Mann's Ferrari. But the emphasis of these films is completely different. We'll tell you how Mann's new movie turned out in our review.
Review of the film "Ferrari" / Ferrari

Pros:

an interesting presentation of the history of Enzo Ferrari and ideas close to him; many interesting directorial decisions; As a biographical drama, the film turned out to be of the highest level; Acting by Driver and Cruz

Minuses:

the composition of scenes, especially in the first half of the film, may seem too chaotic; some strengths are not adequately developed
7.5/10
ITC.ua rating
"Ferrari" / Ferrari

Genre biographical drama
Directed by Michael Mann
Starring: Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Gabriel Leone, Sarah Gadon
Premiere cinemas
Release year 2023
IMDb website

The plot of the film is based on the biographical book Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine by Brock Yates. The film's story focuses on a difficult period in the life of Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver). He is having a hard time with the death of his son Alfredo, and he has serious problems in his relationship with his wife Laura. The difficulties are reflected in the situation with the Ferrari plant, which is under threat of bankruptcy. Enzo's only consolation is his mistress Lina (Shailene Woodley) and his illegitimate son Pierrot. However, Ferrari does not intend to give up, so he is betting on the next big race, which should help improve the situation in his business.

A quick glance or reading of the plot may seem like the film is focusing on a specific period in the life of Enzo Ferrari. But the chosen time is just a prism. If you stick with it, you'll find Ferrari has incredibly choppy editing that jumps too chaotically from one scene to the next. Because of this, the film feels like it's just about to get up to speed for the first half of the film, which is ironic given the impressive speed of the Ferraris.

Ferrari should be seen not as a story about events, but as a story about people. It's about people, in the plural, because Enzo himself is just the focal point of the script. He is almost constantly in the frame here, but does not always play a leading role in certain scenes. This approach makes Ferrari a more complex, difficult film to perceive.

Ferrari himself in the film turned out to be a complex character who doesn’t even let the audience get close to him. Adam Driver has added another excellent image to his portfolio of roles, which, however, in some significant places overlaps too much with his Charlie Barber from “Marriage Story.” But I really want to be happy for Driver, because with his role he already confirms his status as one of the most talented actors of the current era of Hollywood.
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Ferrari

Driver's talents fade when Penelope Cruz's character appears on screen. She seems to be the main star of Ferrari. An actress can convey a whole galaxy of complex emotions with a simple change of gaze. Moreover, it is impossible to attribute her to any specific archetype; too many nuances are woven together in the image of Laura Ferrari.

Behind the drama of human hearts, the nuances of the automotive industry and the world of high-speed racing fade into the background. At the same time, Mann very successfully shows how his personal life seeps into Enzo’s public image and work life. Ridley Scott's recent "Napoleon" tried to do something similar, but did it more straightforwardly, which is why in places it looked insecure and naive. “Ferrari” deals with subtler matters, which is why it turned out to be more piercing and sincere.

Ferrari

However, both cars and racing are still present in the film. Ferrari does not burden you with all the nuances of the automotive industry of its time. One might argue that this is a missed opportunity, because the few scenes in which Enzo explains complex engineering things in simple terms are very engaging. But the movie omits many details, giving preference to its other advantages.

There is essentially only one race in the film and it serves as the culmination of the entire story. In it, Enzo's personal experiences and career ambitions collide with the harsh realities of the times. Here Mann does not particularly spare his audience, leaving a very provocative scene for the decisive moment. It stands out sharply against the background of the rest of the timing and is etched into the memory, instantly changing the tone of the story. And it’s remarkable that Ferrari even found room for such a moment.
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Ferrari

The movies show the world of racing without glamor, the wealth of people without even a shred of accompanying relief, and racing cars without their inherent prestige. And yet local locations breathe ascension. One gets the impression that it is impossible to do otherwise in Italy.

"Ferrari" is notable for its use of musical accompaniment in an unusual way. The music tracks here turn on very abruptly, almost imposing their presence in many scenes. But in the end they create their own unique mood. Even the music doesn't sound quite like standard Hollywood soundtracks. The music of "Ferrari" is more original - just like the film as a whole.

Conclusion:

Ferrari is a movie primarily about people, not cars. It shows how tenuous the connections can be in the lives of rich and supposedly successful people. Mann does this through his vision and excellent acting by local stars, even if at some points you still want more.