Review of Rush (2013) by Canhenha — 29 Sep 2013

Ron Howard has a tradition for tackling stories without much attention for nuance. His films are unabashedly focused on making the audience create a sense of empathy with his core hero, without contemplating any darker side the character(s) may have.

"Rush", written by Peter Morgan, suffers from this problem the rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda could easily be the one that Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer personified onscreen in Tony Scott's "Top Gun" in 1986, with the difference that this time around, the so called hero, actually is presented as an egotistical man, without much depth or sense of empathy (or dignity for that matter).

The film fails in creating these characters as something palpable or even relatable they are nothing more than archetypes, namely the playboy vs. the conservative man, whereas the women in their lives, are given nothing more to do, other than stay in the background, look preoccupied, and have brief scenes of walking into frame (and quickly exiting).

The film is successful in presenting the dynamic of the sport and the sense of excitement that always prevailed in it the fantastic cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle gives the film a look and treatment that are superb.

Daniel Bruhl also manages to create an engaging performance, though it soon becomes a performance that runs always on a single view of the character. Though shot and impeccably recreated for the time it depicts, the film ultimately feels hollow and devoid of the emotion and excitement that always propelled these men and the fans to the circuits.

Not recommended.