F1: THE MOVIE
(director: Joseph Kosinski; screenwriter: Ehren Kruger, story by Kruger & Kosinski; cinematographer: Claudio Miranda; editor: Stephen Mirrone; music: Hans Zimmer; cast: Brad Pitt (Sony Hayes), Damsen Idris (Joshua Pearce), Javier Bardem (Ruben Cervantes), Kerry Condon (Kate McKenna), Tobias Menzies (Peter Banning), Kim Bodnia (Kasper Smolinski), Shea Whigham (Chip Hart), Joseph Balderrama (Fazio), Sarah Niles (Bernadette), Samson Kayo (Cash), Max Verstappen (self); Runtime: 155; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Dade Gardner, Lewis Hamilton, Jeremy Kleiner, Chad Oman, Joseph Kosinski; Warner Bros and Apple Original; 2025)
“Filled with hokum, machismo, adrenaline-spiked action and real Formula One racing footage.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Joseph Kosinski (“Top Gun: Maverick”/”Spiderhead”) directs and Ehren Kruger writes this compelling but limited action motor racing drama based on a story written by both Kruger and Kosinski. It’s filled with hokum, machismo, adrenaline-spiked action and real Formula One racing footage.
The 62-year-old Brad Pitt plays the good guy Sonny Hayes, the cool former racing driver who after a serious crash 30 years ago returns to Formula One racing, after being a professional gambler and a NYC cabbie. He is still wrestling with personal demons.
When Sonny’s former racing buddy, now a racing owner of Apex Grand Prix team, the flashy Ruben (Javier Bardem), needs a racing driver to help his failing team, he calls on Sonny. This move upsets the creepy corporate board member Banning (Tobias Menzies) and the loudmouth young star racer Joshua Pearce (Damsen Idris). The old-school driver has an emotionally jaunty mentor relationship with the energized modern-day techie racer, which becomes the gist of the film.
The underdog Apex racing team competes in places ranging from London to Abu Dhabi, where each event is festively and competently filmed by cinematographer Claudio Miranda. The story might be vacuous but is entertaining (even for a non-racing fan like me, who found this superficial sports drama enjoyable).
Brad Pitt’s performance is commanding. The real-life racing driver Max Verstappen appears in a cameo.
REVIEWED ON 6/27/2025 GRADE: B-
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