Ferrari (2023): A new motorsport classic?
Released on Boxing Day, fans got a new film to watch while waiting for the F1 season to start. But if you’re wondering if it’s worth your time, here's what you need to know about Ferrari (2023)
#Review
(note: no spoilers included)
Ferrari (2023) is the newest member of the seemingly endless collection of films about this iconic car manufacturer. Perhaps not surprising, since the one thing Ferrari has truly succeeded in is making itself an icon of motorsports; so much so that the struggles we saw for the past 16 years on the race tracks don’t seem to damage this reputation. And so we continue watching films such as this one. This time, the audience gets an adaptation of the book Enzo Ferrari: The man, the cars, the races, the machine by Brock Yates. For those who might worry that all they’re going to see is a two-hour long biography of the man behind the name, they will be happy to know that the film is just as much about motor racing as it is about the person. After all, these are inseparable.
We are transported back into 1957 where the story starts with Ferrari balancing two versions of his life. On one hand, there’s his wife and business partner Laura, who represents a world of drama and tension. On the other is his life with his lover Lina and son Piero, set outside of Modena in a country house, away from the noise and the craze surrounding his auto empire. But he’s also going through financial struggles. Ferrari has been famous for selling cars so they could race – not the other way around – which results in them nearly going bankrupt. This makes the entrepreneur even more determined to win the upcoming race of Mille Miglia. It’s a recipe for disaster, with Adam Driver capturing the emotions - or sometimes the lack of them - of Enzo Ferrari perfectly.
The film does a great job at setting the tone right at the start. In the first few minutes we see black and white historic video footage, and while cars crash, we hear a cheerful Italian song playing in the background. This duality continues throughout the next two hours. Dealing with death is something Ferrari has to do from the start until the end, as it was a central part of what it meant to be involved in motorsports. It’s daunting, with loss always lingering around, yet the film does exceptionally well at breaking up the high-tension moments with its soundtrack and with images of the home and other peaceful environments.
We also see many traditional motor racing-film elements on-screen, such as the beautiful shots of the Italian landscape as well as the iconic cars racing through it. But what this film does remarkably well are pauses. While it’s about racing, it doesn’t try to rush the plot. This enables the audience to think about certain moments and empathise with the characters on-screen. Director Michael Mann also did a great job at including Italian in the dialogue in a way that it feels authentic to the place and era, further immersing the viewer in the story. While the film mostly does well at recreating the 1957 race of Mille Miglia, at certain parts the visuals ended up becoming more disruptive than they should have. Otherwise, we see a well thought through production which puts this piece in line with other beloved motorsport classics.
Overall, while we saw the cars less than expected, it is more than understandable. The film has achieved a good balance between the life of Enzo Ferrari and racing. This makes the film enjoyable for those who want a story about the ex-racer turned entrepreneur as well as for the motorsport fans who want to hear the roaring engines.
And to finish up with a quote from the film:
“We all know it’s our deadly passion. Our terrible joy.” – Ferrari (2023)
WHAT’S NEXT?
February might be a short month (maybe less so this year), but there’s a lot to look forward to if you’re an F1 fan.
Car launch dates: Watch out because they are closer than you’d think! The first one will be Haas, revealing its car on 2 February.
Pre-season testing in Bahrain: We will finally see the new cars on the track between 21-23 February.
Season 6 of Drive to Survive: The new season of the F1 Netflix show will also be released on 23 February.