REVIEW: FERRARI

4/5

House Of Ferrari 

130 Mins. Starring: Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O'Connell & Patrick Dempsey. Screenplay: Troy Kennedy Martin. Director: Michael Mann. In: Theatres.

Driver? Adam Driver? The 'Ferrari' biopic stars Adam DRIVER?! And there's a Formula One film coming out, starring Brad Pitt? PITT?! Stop! Honestly, you couldn't make this Pitt up. But I should quit whilst my puns are ahead. Before the star of this show as Enzo Ferrari tells me "f### you" like that corny critic at the film festival who asked Adam (who also serves as executive producer, amongst many in the pits, for this picture) about the "cheesy" car crash scenes. For the record, they're not that. As a matter of fact, if you're not familiar with the Ferrari history, the infamous moment we're all talking about will brutally blind side you, showing you how truly tragic this accident on the track really was. And no one was to blame...except those trying to stir things up with the fingers they point.

An amazing Adam Driver (recruited off of his 'Logan Lucky' wheel work), brushing up on that Italian 'House Of Gucci' accent, embodies Enzo Ferrari perfectly, all the way down to the profound paunch behind the braces of his bespoke suits. The iconic locks of Kylo Ren are also patterned down into the glorious gray of a slick comb and coiffed man who knows Italian's make the best love...and cars. The developments of these beautiful bodies (the cars, people), akin to the basketball sneakers that got heads turning in another sport. I mean, Michael Jordan did base the air of his appeal off of some motor cars for how he drove the lane. The 'Paterson' player and 'Marriage Story' (another reason why he got this gig) standout disappears into the countenance of his compelling character with one of his best acting masterclasses yet. And here's a guy whose given us 'Silence', 'White Noise', 'BlacKkKlansman' and 'The Last Duel' over the last decade. But there's even more layers of character hidden behind those signature sunglasses, taking them off to wipe a tear away, as he talks to the son he can only see when he closes his eyes to dream of a life that once was.

In Ferrari's attention to detail, if you think that says it all between the lines on his face, then wait until you see the iconic one of a forever young Penélope Cruz playing Enzo Ferrari's long-suffering wife with raw, restrained passion. And this is saying something as she shoots at him in their first scene together. Cruz is critical and catalytical to this cinematic racing movie in a 'Rush' of them (see the last duel of 'Ford V Ferrari' starring Christian Bale, who was originally linked to this role too), not to mention one of the National Board Of Review's top ten films of last year, despite it being a box-office bomb. Emmy, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning, 'Big Little Lies' star Shailene Woodley is wonderful as the divergent lover and mother in Enzo's life. Whilst great Brit Jack O'Connell and "McDreamy" 'Grey's Anatomy' star Patrick Dempsey turning into a silver fox, offer even more under the hood. But it's the young love of Sarah Gadon and Gabriel Leone that will truly break the hearts it just healed.

By the book, 'Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine' by Brock Yates, legend Troy Kennedy Martin gives us a fuel-injected script. He would know a thing or two about this as well, having scripted both the long-running BBC 'Z-Cars' series and the original 'Italian Job'. But blowing the bloody doors off, it's the great Michael Mann ('The Last Of The Mohicans', 'The Insider') who brings this sleepy European city, slow burning picture to the track like he did Will Smith's 'Ali' to the canvas. 'Public Enemies' long and 'Collateral' cinematic, Mann's theatre has always been digitally ahead of it's time, from the 'Miami Vice' TV show to the Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx big-screen remake. And with his twelfth night in a dozen definitive pictures, his first since 2015's cyber 'Blackhat' with Chris Hemsworth, he does for car chases, what he did for gunfights in the epic meeting of De Niro and Pacino in 'Heat'. Expect a sequel for the movie that inspired Christopher Nolan's 'Dark Knight' heists soon too, off the book Michael just penned ('Heat 2'). Back on track, though, the 1957 Mille Miglia moments will last in motorsport movie history. With incredible drive. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Ford V Ferrari (Le Mans '66'), 'Rush', 'House Of Gucci'.