Ford Vs. Ferrari is a film about former Race Champion Carroll Shelby, played by Matt Damon, and the Ford company collaborating on a new racecar to boost Ford’s numbers and win a big race. Also Henry Ford 2nd is insulted by Ferrari’s CEO and that creates a personal vendetta for Ford to win the 24 hour race – something that Ferrari has won in back to back years.
Ford Vs. Ferrari is a very entertaining romp featuring over the top racing visuals that never stop being fun throughout the entire 2 and a half hour run-time. The races are fun, the cars are loud and nasty and it is just plain awesome to watch a project like this put together so well. Matt Damon’s performance is really well done though his character is a little shallow. All we know about him is he won a bunch of races and wants to do things his way which play into the plot of the film like a puzzle piece nevertheless Damon breathes life into his character where it is possible. Aside his character is Miles Kent a very eccentric man who has a unique talent for understanding cars and building them with profound efficiency and effort. The two have a sub arc of betrayal and re-joining that is tightly packed in between the race scenes everyone wants to see. The story struggles to create a truly daunting situation that creates some kind of tension. Damon has something mirroring an office politics squabble with the head of the race program who doesn’t want Damon’s bestie to race the new car while Ford’s vendetta against Ferrari’s CEO is touched on in exposition and never visited again. The result is the stakes are Ford gets it’s numbers boosted whether they lose or not because the big race is the first time Ford is introduced in the race league however they are getting free publicity regardless. Additionally, Henry Ford the man who only had a bit part in a movie with Ford in the title got just that a bit part. I think Christian Bale is my favorite actor ever.
The film’s plot sways between popcorn movie and something that is trying to push the line of a typical theater one off and actually produce some breakout performances. While Miles Kent’s character and the tensions of the race are undeniably fun and summon a feeling of childlike glee in my eyes. The film struggles to create any sort of stakes that push the audience to feel totally invested in the plot however the visuals and some of Damon’s scenes are well done and the film hits all the checkpoints of a film’s structure well. Ford’s arc is wrapped up though I think it should have been closer to the forefront of the movie.
Pro:
Great story
-Great visuals
Has you rooting for and against Matt Damon and Ford’s project.
Con: Film struggled to sell it’s conflict between Matt Damon and Ford’s higher ups and Ferrari’s head CEO.
Film Type: Popcorn movie
Rating: 8/10
Skills Give Life To Dreams 