F1

★★★ out of ★★★★

F1 (2025)

Runtime: 155 minutes

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for strong language, and action.

Joseph Kosinski helmed Top Gun: Maverick a few years back, a massively successful blockbuster that also managed to be personal in some ways, while correcting the lightheartedness of its predecessor. Cruise was the grounding element, the film allowing his character to face his inner demons, while reconnecting with old friends in quiet, meaningful ways. It wasn't perfect; it did occasionally retreat from deeper themes and employed one tiny Deus ex machina, but these were minor complaints in what was an immersive ride. 

Now, Kosinski returns with the same technical precision and splendor in F1: The Movie, written by Ehren Kruger, with one of the producers being a real Formula 1 driver (Lewis Hamilton). F1 is a fictional story, but set against the backdrop of the real Formula 1 World Championship. It's title is also accurate to the storytelling mechanics. The tried-and-true underdog success formula is there: Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a washed-up F1 driver who suffered a near-fatal crash in 1990, returns to the sport after his old friend Rubén Cervantes (Javier Bardem) convinces him to do so. He teams up with a young driver, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the two have conflicting ideologies, but eventually work it out together and secures the win during the final race.

It's less personal, yes, but somehow efficient and honestly harder to critique. F1 has a near-impenetrable surface, it seems. Yet, there's something thrilling about the excitement and tension sitting inside the car, the intentional discomfort in the dynamics and the direction of it all. It's essentially a polished corporate product at the end of the day, but it does a satisfactory job at it. You won't feel the 155-minute runtime.

Pitt delivers what could be called a quintessential movie star performance - professional, stoic and non-chalant. It unsurprisingly draws parallels to his current state in cinema: like his character Hayes, both are aging veterans reflecting on their glory days, yet driven by the desire to prove that he still belongs to the track (and for Pitt, the stage). This adds an unexpected layer of resonance. Bouncing off Pitt's magnetism and vibe is Damson Idris, who embodies the youthful hunger for success. Pearce is in a dire situation, him needing to secure a win so the team APXGP won't be sold and he won't lose his career. But there's also a modern-day commentary about the obsession of online fame, validation and self-worth.

It's these themes, and their conflicting ideologies, that sings well throughout the film. F1 structures it such that each race and the aftermath of it serves as an attempt to peel their troubled dynamics. Pearce believes that Hayes is egoistical, reckless and self-centered. Hayes believes that Pearce is unexceptional and overly fixated on media following. Having them constantly clash with each other at the backstage is discomforting yet interesting. Both of them get involved in accidents, where conflicts between Pearce's mother and Hayes, and Hayes and Ruben arise. Which makes it relatively disappointing that their resolutions and redemptions are tied neatly, rather than digging more into their flawed states or dealing with the messiness of it. While supporting cast including Tobias Menzies and Kim Bodnia are relatively one-note, Kerry Condon brings it her all, adding more depth to her character than what's on the page. 

F1 is just too ironic of a title, because while it delves into the precise mechanics of racing and cars in Formula One, the storytelling device is also formula. Kosinski somewhat mitigates the feel-good traps and proves that he's once again a master of technical direction. The races, coupled with the sweat, sound mixing and anxiety are all there; it's successful entertainment. And honestly, F1 would be a marginal recommendation, but it’s elevated by a propulsive and intense climax. Even if the stakes were somewhat murky, the final scenes ground it again in electrifying and transportive fashion. F1 isn't necessarily a challenging or incisive exploration into the sport or the people behind it, but represents a product that's well-crafted, strongly acted and effective, even if it's ultimately still a product.