F1 (Joseph Kosinski, 2025): United States

Review by Gustav Bjuhr. Viewed at SBIFF.

I would almost give this movie a top rating. Overall, I think it is a very strong movie with very great performances. The cast includes some of my favorite actors, such as Damson Idris and Brad Pitt, and they both do a very good job. It is also very clear that this is a high budget production, since everything feels very professional, especially the racing scenes. The story is engaging and keeps the viewer interested throughout the film. 

I saw the movie at the Arlington Theater, which once again made the whole experience better. I really like the atmosphere there, and it makes watching a film feel more special and memorable. F1 is directed by Joseph Kosinski, who is also known for directing Top Gun Maverick and the Tron films. The cast also includes well known actors such as Brad Pitt, Damison Idris, Javier Bardem and Kerry condon. All of them have strong careers with many famous films/Series behind them. Damison Idris is an actor I personally think will become even bigger in the future. The first time I saw him was in the tv show Snowfall, which is also one of my favorite shows.      

The first thing that happened in the F1 movie is that we meet Sonny Hayes, an older race driver who used to compete in formula 1. He lives a pretty simple life, but gets offered from his old friend and team chief a chance to rejoin his old team, APXGP, which has been struggling. Sonny starts working with the team, and it quickly becomes clear that the car is difficult to handle and that he and the young driver, Joshua Pearce have some trouble working together.

Later in the film, Sonny and the team face challenges both on the track and personally with each other. According to me, the film explores themes like teamwork, endurance and proving yourself, showing how experience and ambition can work together. 

I think most parts of the film are very well made, but what stood out the most for me was the cinematography, the acting and the music. The shots on the racetrack look very professional, with different angles that really capture the speed and intensity of Formula 1. I also liked the clean and stylish color palette, which made everything feel polished and high end. The acting is, in my opinion, close to 10 out of 10. You can really tell that they brought in big names for this film, and it shows in the performances. The music also fits the film very well. The soundtrack includes several well known artists, such as Tate McRae, Chris Stapleton and Ed Sheeran, and the songs help both the emotional and energetic moments of the movie. 

Personally, I have not seen many films or TV shows that are very similar to this one. But there are several other films that focus on cars and racing, such as Gran Turismo, Ford vs Ferrari and the Need For Speed films. I have not seen all of these, so I cannot fully compare them. But for the ones I have seen, especially Need For Speed, I would say the similarities are mostly in the car and racing theme rather than the actual story. As said, most of the actors in this movie also have a strong background in the movie industry. Brad Pitt, in particular, has had a major impact on the film industry with movies like Fight Club, Se7en and Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. Another cast member, Kerry Condon, has also appeared in many big productions, including Avengers Films and Unleashed.  

I would give this film a rating around 8 out of 10. It is very well made, the story is strong and there is not much I can really complain about. I would definitely recommend this to most film lovers. You do not need to be especially interested in Formula 1 to enjoy it, since the movie is about much more than just cars and racing.