By Jackson TOYON

I’ll admit it right out of the gate: I’m not a Formula 1 fan and sports movies are one of my lesser-watched genres. That said, I always delight in watching Brad Pitt bring his commanding on-screen charisma to a project – and there’s something alluring about a “one last job” story, which this film indulges. With limited knowledge about F1 racing, I was curious to see if it could win over a casual sports genre viewer like me.

The film introduces us to rugged Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), an American race car driver and a former F1 star who most would consider to be past his prime – though never “uncool” and still a force to be reckoned with. Forced to retire from F1 racing years prior due to serious injuries from a life-changing crash, he lives out of his van (practically his trusted horse), drifting from place to unlikely place and taking gigs as a former racing driver for hire. When old friend and former racing teammate Rubén Cervantes (the disarmingly handsome Javier Bardem) approaches him to offer a seat in APXGP, the F1 team Rubén owns, Pitt is hesitant: an older man in a younger man’s game in a scene so different from the one he left all those years ago? Following an admission by Cervantes that the team desperately needs a win to prevent his investors from selling it off, and a touch of sweet talking, Hayes reluctantly accepts the offer. He’s quickly introduced to his teammate, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), an ambitious but arrogant rookie driver who worries about his future and whether he’s replaceable. Hayes’ and Pearce’s personalities quickly clash with much initial butting of heads, but they must work together – along with the team’s technical director Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon) – if they hope to bring their team back from the brink.

Brad Pitt brings his signature charisma to this role in that effortlessly likable way where he comes off as cocky and self-assured but you can tell deep down that he’s driven by a genuine care for the team. Javier Bardem elevates all the scenes he’s in, and Kerry Condon almost always had me smiling. Meanwhile, Damson Idris builds a compelling brotherhood with Pitt over the course of the film – a comparison that comes to mind for me is the relationship shared by Russell Crowe and Djimon Hounsou in “Gladiator.” 

Despite strong performances across the board, it is apparent that this movie is a little formulaic. The story hits just about all the beats reasonably expected: a sports movie of mentorship and teamwork with underdogs, perseverance after setbacks, second chances, and a romance that slows the movie down a little bit – all of those standard hallmarks. But while it follows a familiar playbook, the film is carried out with such heart and such thrilling races that I found myself not at all minding that degree of predictability. The racing sequences are exhilarating, putting viewers right in the cockpit or even a couple of inches off the ground – excellent cinematography set to some truly awesome sound design. I saw this film on an average theater screen but I believe the experience would be even more thrilling and intense if watched in an enhanced format like IMAX, or at least on a screen with Dolby Atmos sound.

“F1” might be enjoyed more by those familiar with F1 racing but it will captivate a casual watcher without any outside crash courses. Anything wondered about is either explained quickly and naturally or can be inferred by those paying attention, making it easy to get swept up in the ride. You could call it formulaic but, in the end, these formulas persist for a reason – if it works, it works – and this movie definitely works. 

“F1” doesn’t re-invent the wheel but director Joseph Kosinski brought his experience from “Top Gun: Maverick” to create another great summer blockbuster that deserves your attention.