Brad Pitt’s F1 Movie Races Thrills but Skids on Realism
If you're even remotely into fast cars or just love a good Hollywood spectacle, you've probably heard the buzz—Brad Pitt has hit the racetrack in F1: The Movie . Directed by Joseph Kosinski ( Top Gun: Maverick ) and with the muscle of Apple’s massive $300 million budget behind it, the film is undeniably a slick, high-octane thrill ride. But let’s not kid ourselves—it also takes a sharp corner straight into the land of the implausible.
Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a former elite driver who stepped away from the sport after a terrifying crash at the Spanish Grand Prix three decades ago. These days, he’s a charming, globe-trotting recluse dabbling in obscure races while avoiding his emotional baggage. That is, until he's pulled back into the F1 scene by Ruben Cervantes (played by Javier Bardem), his old teammate and now the desperate owner of the underperforming fictional team, APX GP.
Also Read:- John Collins Stays with Jazz, Opts In for $26.5M Season
- Kim Kardashian Tapped to Play Villain in Amazon MGM's UpcomingBratzMovie
With APX GP failing miserably, Ruben turns to Sonny to lead and mentor a brash, talented rookie named Joshua Pearce (played with wit and fire by Damson Idris). And just like that—through a bizarre combo of questionable strategy and cinematic magic—the team starts to win races. Yes, somehow a 60-something semi-retired driver manages to outpace the best racers in the world, all while bending rules and physics along the way.
The rivalry between Sonny and Joshua is where the film tries to dig deeper. Sonny is all instincts and charm, dismissive of rules and allergic to PR spin. Joshua is disciplined, calculated, and all too aware of the pressures that come with being a young, Black British driver in a historically white, elite sport. Their generational and cultural clashes bring some real tension, even if the script doesn’t always do it justice.
There are attempts at diversity—Kerry Condon plays Kate McKenna, F1’s first female technical director—but most of these characters are underdeveloped. Kate’s storyline, disappointingly, devolves into a tired romantic subplot. And while the film nods toward serious issues like race and class, it skims over them too quickly to leave much impact.
The realism? That’s where things really fall apart. The race sequences, though exhilarating and beautifully shot (thanks to real-world circuits like Silverstone and Monza), defy logic and safety. Pitt’s character gets away with what would be considered dangerous race manipulation in the real F1 world. It’s ironic, considering F1 legend Lewis Hamilton is one of the film’s producers.
Still, it’s not all bad. Hans Zimmer’s score injects pure adrenaline, and Kosinski nails the immersive, in-the-driver’s-seat experience like few others can. Real-life cameos from F1 stars like Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff blur the line between fiction and reality in a fun way, and for diehard fans of the sport, these Easter eggs alone might justify the ticket price.
But here’s the bottom line: F1: The Movie is best enjoyed if you’re willing to leave realism at the door. It's entertainment first, accuracy second (or maybe third). Think of it as a glossier, louder, and far less grounded cousin of Drive to Survive . Whether you're here for the noise, the nostalgia, or just to watch Brad Pitt take his shirt off—this film delivers on spectacle, even if it spins out on substance.
Read More:
0 Comments