Review of Rush (2013) by Bob M — 29 Oct 2014

Formula One Racing... you could have made up just about anything about this sport and I would have no reason not to believe you, and I think that's the case for most Americans (which is why this film did far better overseas than domestically). I had heard good things about this one and the trailers looked good but it was hard for me to bring myself to see it because of my complete lack of interest in the subject matter. Thank goodness I finally got around to seeing it while it was still in theaters because this movie packs a serious punch, even for non-racing fans, and marks a return to form for director, Ron Howard.

This movie, while independently financed, plays like a smart blockbuster for adults, like many of Howard's best directorial efforts. He captures the thrill and the danger of being inside a Formula One racecar and you gain a real appreciation for how insane this sport really is. Howard brings us inside the drivers' helmets and lets us see the race through their eyes and frighteningly, there isn't much to see. These cars are going so fast that even in sunlight on a beautiful day, the drivers can barely see what is in front of them. Amazingly enough, we are taken on this journey of Formula One's greatest rivalry with Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl, both of whom have been "up-and-coming" actors for a while who both needed a role like this to really break out as a truly recognizable leading man.

Chris Hemsworth is a movie star. We see here that he is more than just beefcake Thor, but someone who is able to take a real person's story and bring it to the screen with a very layered performance. There is more to James Hunt (Hemsworth) than just a proud, loud, narcissistic, winning machine akin to Ricky Bobby; there is a man struggling with addiction, fame, and crippling insecurities. He shares only one thing with his rival, Nikki Lauda (Bruhl), the drive to win... only feeling truly alive when his life is on the line. He can only be his true self on the race track.

Bruhl brings Lauda to life in a way that makes the audience unsure of who to root for. Lauda is smarter than Hunt and probably deserves to win more but isn't nearly as charming and is in fact quite rude to many of those around him. The film uses Bruhl to great effect and makes us cringe when we see him go through reconstructive surgeries after his real life racing accident.

The film tries hard to keep the two rivals on an even level for the audience, in hopes that the audience will be split between fans rooting for Lauda and fans rooting for Hunt. At first that may be the case and maybe this is only because I prefer Chris Hemsworth or that his character is more charming but I found myself rooting for him pretty early on and was disappointed with ever race that he lost, but I honestly do believe that the film eventually pushes you to hope he wins.

The film's biggest downfall is some of the dialogue between Hunt and Lauda. This is a movie for adults. Adults are smart, and we completely understand the stark differences between the two leads but the script feels the need to throw dialogue between them along the lines of, "I'm better than you because I'm a wild card who will do anything to win; you're just a cold, calculating, by-the-numbers technical driver," and "I'm better than you because I am the more proficient driver, and you're too reckless to be a true winner." We understand. One has more wild passion and one is more calculating, we don't need to hear them tell each other than six times throughout the movie. The two leads do play off of each other well when they are finally allowed to discuss anything other than their racing techniques.

"Rush" clocks in right at two hours and that is just fine. No need to be any longer. It is perfectly paced and never feels slow, we are always treated to an incredible racing sequence just often enough to keep us excited and wanting more danger next time around. Having watched it again a year later, I can say that it holds up quite well and still plays as an exciting flick, even on the small screen. Everyone involved elevates their game, making this film just about as good as it can possibly be. I sincerely hope this film doesn't get lost to time and that it will remain relevant, at least in the racing community, for years to come. I hope that more and more Americans give it a chance. Look at me: I wasn't just indifferent on the subject material but was probably closer to outwardly disliking it and uninterested but I still found this film to be an exciting sports blockbuster that is far above average.