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| Matt Damon and Christian Bale (r) star in Ford v Ferrari |
Time to Roll
Rotten Tomatoes Plot: Academy Award-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in Ford v Ferrari, based on the remarkable true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966. Directed by James Mangold.
Starring: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, Tracy Letts, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Remo Girone, and Ray McKinnon
What's Good: The racing footage is truly incredible. Great sound, and a first-person shooter view that puts you smack dab in the middle of a treacherous track. Superb chemistry between Bale & Damon, and one of the funniest test drives you'll ever see on the big screen. Not quite as good as Ron Howard's Rush (2013) but pretty close.
What's Not: It's missing something. Perhaps too much character development, and not enough racing. It's not necessarily a deal breaker, but it's enough to make a difference between three and (as some critics are doling out) four stars.
Budget: $97.6 million
Runtime: 152 minutes (Just a tad too long.)
Target Audience: Fans of Bale, Damon and old-school auto racing.
Bottom Line: I had to sit three rows from the screen (note to self: ask for an assigned seat next time) which isn't a great spot for a movie like this. That said, I still had a great time and stayed awake for the entire 2½ hours. My advice. Pay a few extra bucks, and see it on IMAX. It's worth it.
Grade: B