Ford v Ferrari Movie Review

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Watch the trailer
Written by: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller (written by)
Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas
Rated: PG-13

Plot
American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Verdict
Well made from the script to the directing, acting, and production values. The racing is exhilarating and the plot is engrossing. Shelby and Miles are endearing characters trying to do the impossible, beat Ferrari at Le Mans while placating their benefactors, Ford Motor Company. This is exciting, humorous, and emotional with a great performance from Bale. It's one scene too long, but despite that this movie shines.
Watch it.

Review
This was titled Le Mans '66 outside of the U.S. due to regulating brand names in movie titles. I really wish that had been the name in the U.S. too. It's a much better name.

Matt Damon plays Carroll Shelby.

The movie first introduces the main protagonists, Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles, and Ford Motor Company. This opens with Shelby recalling his winning of Le Mans in 1959 just before he learns he can't race due to a medical condition. He goes on to build race cars instead. Ken Miles is a weekend racer and weekday mechanic. Ken is certainly skilled but temperamental.

Henry Ford II at the Ford Motor Company plant.

Ford Motor Company's sales are lagging and they need an idea. Lee Iacocco suggests winning Le Mans, going global and linking the Ford name to winning like Ferrari. A botched buyout of Ferrari by Ford sets Henry Ford II on a quest to avenge his bruised ego and beat perennial Le Mans winner Ferrari at their own game.  Iacoccoa recruits Shelby and Shelby recruits Miles. They must build a worthy car from the ground up in a matter of months.

This is such a great movie, every aspect of it is well made and the backbone is the script. It's funny, emotional, touching, and the racing is exhilarating. It's the type of movie that makes you want to drive fast on the way home from the theater.

Christian Bale and Matt Damon as Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby.

There's certainly drama, Ferrari is tough to beat and Shelby has to build a car to do just that in a short amount of time. The ford execs don't' like Miles, seeking someone more all American that fits their image. This is flogged for more drama than it should with Leo Beebe having a personal vendetta against Shelby and Miles that isn't quite justified. It's used just to give us an unmistakable villain in a movie that doesn't really need one. The drama could stem from Ford wanting one of their guys instead of Miles. It fits with the bureaucracy getting in the way theme, while trimming some length from the run time. The move is certainly five to eight minutes too long with a final scene that inexplicably shifts the focus back to Shelby and robs the conclusion of impact.

The Ford GT40.

I love when Shelby takes Henry Ford for a ride in a $9 million dollar GT40. It's a great scene that humorous, puts the condescending Ford in his place, and shows us just how crazy this car is compared to a typical car.

This movie banks a little bit on American exceptionalism. This type of plot is often found in space movies with astronauts doing the impossible to reach the crazy dream of outer space. I wish this movie had more process included. There are a few tidbits of them using wool to test aerodynamics, but I'd like more tricks and specific instances of how they fine tuned the car.

Christian Bale plays Ken Miles.

Christian Bale is magnetic. He delivers an amazing performance, but he always manages to do just that. Miles loves racing and it's clear in the performance. Miles is an underdog and you want him to win because he's worked so hard for it. You want him to do the impossible. I'm glad the movie didn't make a villain out of Ferrari's driver. He's an opponent like any other driver.

The movie contains a lot of tropes, but that's not a bad thing when used as intended. The only trope I don't like is Leo Beebe because the movie doesn't need a villain or extra drama.  Despite that, this is an exceptional movie.