Displaying items by tag: Brad Pitt

F1

US, 2025, 155 minutes, Colour.

Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Javier Bardem, Kerry Condon, Kim Bodnia, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, Samson Kayo. Callie Cooke.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Just in case there is someone who comes across this film, unaware of the meaning of what looks like a code, F1, it is, of course, Formula 1. Cars racing.

Over the decades, this is been a popular subject for the movies, in the 60s there was the Cinerama epic, Grand Prix, and films with stars like Steve McQueen at Le Mans and Paul Newman (who was an aficionado driver in real life). There was Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder, the biographies of various famous drivers like James Hunt and Nicky Lauder in A Rush, Ayrton Senna. And focusing on the entrepreneurs, Ford versus Ferrari.

Which means that there is a strong fan base for racing car movies also eager to see Brad Pitt in this film, and the promise of adrenaline pumping driving action. As regards the action, the fan base is certainly not disappointed. On the other hand, there is the question of what will non--F1 audiences make of it. At over 2 ½ hours, many might find it too much, the intensity of the races, the dangers, accidents, speeding skills…

Yes, F1, is for the fans.

The opening is in the US, Daytona, establishing the film for the American audience. However, it quickly moves to the UK, to Silverstone. And, as it progresses, the competition travels to Italy, Hungary, Japan, Holland, Abu Dhabi, Las Vegas – but sadly for Australian fans, not to Albert Park.

The central character is Sonny Hayes, a would-be champion with skill in the 1990s, a horrendous crash, his withdrawing from racing, and making more than a mess of his life. But, he decides to participate at Daytona, successful, and then approached by his great friend from the past, Ruben (an always welcome Javier Bardem). Ruben’s company is in financial mess, has an up-and-coming English driver, Josh Pearce (Damson Idris). Ruben has an offer that he hopes Sonny can’t refuse. He turns up in London and the rest of the film is race after race, rivalry between the up-and-coming driver and the veteran, tactics and accidents, the rough and tumble, plenty of both, in F 1.

The race sequences, of course, are outstanding – and, many of the sequences with the camera in the driver’s seat, the audience in the driver’s seat.

What is interesting is the behind-the-scenes, not just the squads at the pit stops, performing with speed and efficiency, but the technicians, the designers of the cars, the scientists, the engineers, as well as the companies and their board members (and schemes). And, during the races, the communications to the drivers, the network of information during the race, the panel giving advice, suggesting tactics, much more interesting than might have been imagined.

There are, as usual, family issues, love interest, and, all the time, the focus on Brad Pitt, turning 60 as he made this film, still with all the charm and bravado that he has shown for over 35 years.

The film was made for the fans and with such racing action sequences, they will not be disappointed.

1. The popularity of Formula One? The history during the 20^th century? Developments in the 21^st-century? The early cars, the early speedways, the competitions, becoming more international, the venues, more and more elaborate? The technology behind the development of the cast? The techniques of the drivers? The business aspects? (And the movie tradition of Formula One and car racing movies?)
2. The production values? For fans of Formula One? The visuals for the races, on the cars, manoeuvres, accidents, technology of the cars, speeds, the pitstops and changes, the panels and the keeping the drivers in contact with what was happening, advising? The business side? The atmospheric score and its sometimes pounding?
3. The filming of the events, the car often in the driver’s seat and the effect for the audience?
4. The focus on Sonny Hayes, Brad Pitt at 60? His character and personality, in the 1990s, the photos and video of him as young, racing, ambitions, talent, the crash and the consequences, driving, camps, relationships, divorces? The ad for help in Mexico? His performance at Daytona, achievement, return, noticed?
5. The arrival of Ruben, the relationship in the past, friendship, the photos? Ruben and his company, financial difficulties, with Joshua Pearce and the hopes, lack of success in the competition? The offer to Sonny, not just finance, the possibilities? Leaving it with him? Sonny and accepting?
6. The company, London, the meetings, the Board, Ruben and his concerns, the businessman on the board and the encouragement? The reliance on Joshua, age, but not as successful as hoped for? The arrival of Sonny, suspicions, his attitude, carefree?
7. Joshua, his age, skills, ambitions, experience, his relationship with his mother, her strong influence? His reaction to Sonny, considering him old, the press conferences, his slur, later apology? Observing Sonny, his exercise regime?
8. Kate, her design and engineering background, recruited by Ruben, her skills, card designs, the physics and aerodynamics? Her personality, wary of Sonny? It attracted, the discussions, her initial resistance? Her involvement in the races, the advice, the discussions with about car design, airflow…? Travelling, the discussions, success, the attraction, the hotel, the relationship?
9. The various members of the crew, Casper and his experience, the different ranges of expertise? Hugh, the bet and overheard? Cash and his personal assistance for Joshua? The impact of the scenes of the crew working together? The pitstop crew and the young woman and her accidents, supported, especially by Sonny, her improvement?
10. The race sequences and their impact, Daytona, Silverstone, and the various travels around Europe, to Japan, Las Vegas? The camera in the driver’s seat? The tracks, the speed, the manoeuvres? And the crowds and support?
11. Sonny, his attitude, the visual flashbacks to the past with Ruben? His story? His carefree attitudes, his shrewdness? The development of the manoeuvres, the disbelief of the team, Joshua and his wariness? Joshua and his crash, hospital, his mother’s reaction, especially to Sonny?
12. The business aspects, the need for wins, Sonny and his tactics, the improvement? The substitute driver and the success of the tactics? Joshua’s return, the advice from Sonny, Joshua not following it, then admitting it?
13. Peter Banning, smooth talk, business interests, his forging the details about the repairs, the authorities and forbidding the use of the cars? His approach to Sonny, offering the financial deals, disregard of Ruben? The effect on Sonny, his behaviour during the final race, Banning and the board and all the visitors, the possible sale? Sonny defying him and giving him the finger?
14. The final success, the company saved, the threats to Ruben, the bonding between the two?
15. The future? Joshua and his career, Sonny and some achievement, partnership with Ruben, with Kate?
16. In retrospect the plausibility of the plot, Sonny at 60, physical fitness, capacity for driving, his manoeuvres? But, despite any quibbles, an entertaining experience for fans of Formula 1?

WOLFS

US, 2024, 98 minutes, Colour.

George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams.

Directed by Jon Watts.

Something of a surprise to find that a film with these two stars missed out on cinema release and sent straight to streaming. Not that it is a great film or anything like that, but it is the kind of film that audiences do enjoy.

Audiences who relished performances by George Clooney and by Brad Pitt over the decades, especially enjoying their work together in the Oceans 11, 12, 13 thrillers. They play off each other very well indeed – though, checking on ages, it is a bit of a surprise to find that the always boyish looking Brad Pitt is only two years younger than George Clooney.

The film opens with a compromising situation, a district attorney who is strong on moral standards (a glimpse of a poster of her claiming this during the film) has gone with a young man up to a hotel suite for a rendezvous, but, in his leaping excitedly on the bed, falls and hits his head. She has a phone number and calls it. No answer. Then a phone call back and the promise of one of those “cleaners” who come into work their magic to remove all traces in dire situations. He arrives. George Clooney.

And, then, who should arrive but another cleaner, Brad Pitt, employed by the management of the hotel. Then begins professional competition, a rivalry in techniques, claims of superiority – but they having to work together to remedy the situation. (And the audience themselves getting quite a few tips how to wrap a corpse and a carpet, hangers on one of those clothing trolleys, Tippett into the boot of the car!)

And since this all happens early in the film, where will it now go? Actually, the young man has a bag full of drugs which leads to all kinds of complications, tracking down the dealers, discovering at a wedding celebration Eastern European gangsters for whom each of them worked (and a comic situation at a wedding ceremony where they have to pretend to be at war with each other, guns drawn, in order to escape). It is that kind of scenario.

The other complication is the young man is not dead at all, and they have to use him to recover his pager from the bar where the wedding party is being held, to get him to go in with the drugs, the danger of his death from the dealers – or from Clooney himself.

As well that ends well, especially if the film is successful and there is a call for the Wolfs to be hired for another job.

1. George Clooney, Brad Pitt? Audience anticipation? The screen personalities, working with each other, from each other?
2. The New York settings, the hotels and hotel rooms, the streets, the marriage celebration lavish, seedy situations for drug dealers? The musical score, the range of songs – Smooth Operator?
3. The initial situation, the woman in the room, the body on the floor, getting her bag, splashed with blood? The phone call, the return call, the interrogation? The cleaner turning up, his personality, unsmiling, efficient? The knock on the door, the second cleaner, his appearance, similarities, assured, the setting up of confrontation between the two?
4. The theme throughout the film, the similarities, dissimilarities, competitive, suspicious, individualist, give-and-take, rivalries? The George Clooney-Brad Pitt interactions?

The situation in the hotel room, the woman as an Assistant District Attorney, the glimpse of her poster during the film advocating morality? Her shock, the story, the bar, the young man, in the room, his jumping on the bed, hitting his head, the assumption that he was dead? The two cleaners, the clothes, getting her to her daughter, covering the situation, sending her home?

5. The reality of the surveillance camera – and the sequence of the credits, the playing of this footage? And who had it?
6. The manager of the hotel, the control, advice? The rivalry, Margaret’s man and his techniques for turning the body, wrapping it, putting it in the stand? Out into the corridor, the elevator, making the surveillance cameras, the technique of getting it into the boot of the car?
7. The discovery of the drugs, further complications? The irony that the young man was not dead, punched, quiet?
8. The development of the situation with the young man, the drugs, taking into the mutual friend, her handling the situation, the irony that she knew both of them, their reactions?
9. Speculation about the drugs and their origins? The various gangs?
10. The young man, getting out of the car, the chase, the long chase sequence, the running, the driving, his derring-do, finally caught?
11. The issue of the drugs, his explanation of his situation, studies, exams, his friend, the drugs, experimenting, going up to the room, the accident? The issue of the pager at the bar?
12. Going to the wedding celebration, the young man going to the bar, the issue with the pager, his being evicted? The cleaners, caught up in the dance, the guns and their performance, the bluff, the fear that they would be killed because of their knowledge?
13. The finale, going to the rendezvous, the various gangs, their car being shot up, the dead coming out of the building, their going in, finding the young man, the thought of killing him, not doing it, the other cleaner firing into the drugs, leaving a more credible situation?
14. The two, taking the young man home, the talk with his father?
15. The finale, the gunmen and their threats, the end?