One of the most satisfying things to experience in film is a character’s ultimate downfall. Their entire world crumbling around them, leaving them like swimmers gasping for air 1000 kilometres deep below the horizon, a character’s flaws and sins paving the way for the most unbeatable obstacles they have ever faced. Micheal Mann did to Enzo Ferrari what Christopher Nolan did for Robert Oppenheimer, and while Robert’s sins are debatable, Enzo’s journey into abhorrence is undoubtable. With Ferrari, Micheal Mann shows the evil and darkness of the car manufacturer’s founder and operatically leads us through the year 1957, when Enzo’s life would change forever, and does so with style.
The film chronicles the chaotic juggling of Enzo’s declining marriage, Ferrari’s imminent bankruptcy and the patriarchal responsibility of his second family. Enzo’s only response? To save his company by entering his racing team into the Mille Miglia. As the race approaches nearer and nearer, Enzo finds himself locked in a war with his wife, who will do anything to clip his wings and see him suffer for his crimes. If you know nothing about Ferrari or the history of automobiles, I beg you to enter this film blind, it will shock, it will entertain and you will feel your car’s every tiny action on the ride home and feel it like the capable doom-bringer it is.
Adam Driver plays Enzo, while his physical acting is on point, his Italian accent comes across as a bad imitation of Borat. At certain times he gets away with it, one point being in the midst of an argument with his wife over his second family, but most times, it’s too clear that Ferrari is played by the same man who portrayed this generation’s main Sith lord. Penelope Cruz plays Enzo’s wife, Laura, who dominates every scene she is in. The word that comes to mind whenever she’s on screen is “girlboss”. Cruz has Driver’s very reputation and life in her hands, she could break it, but she just squeezes it in her hands. An odd addition to the cast is Patrick Dempsey as driver Piero Taruffi, but unfortunately, Dempsey has the same problem as Driver, a poor accent that has you begging for an authentic Italian actor.
Micheal Mann makes a stunning performance of direction, the film looks so stylish yet dirty, I believe this could be considered the ‘Goodfellas’ of racing films. Driver, with his every movement, exudes power and predatory behaviour, it’s clear his specialty is playing villains. The writer, Troy Kennedy Martin, orchestrates the film with dry to gallows humor, making it clear from the very start the kind of man Enzo Ferrari is. In the opening few scenes, a driver is training around a track as Enzo and a man wanting to drive for him watch. As the driver crashes and is presumably killed in the impact, Enzo simply tells the man to call him on Monday before walking away. If you go to see this film, be prepared to see the devil of racing in action as Enzo’s every choice leads him to hurt everyone as he victimises himself. This film is a golden anti-biopic because it shows Enzo doesn’t deserve one by tearing the name down to the satanic figure whose products many worship. And I’m completely here for it!
Mason’s Top 3 Reasons To Watch Ferrari
Mason Horsley is a graduate of UOW with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Arts, majoring inWriting and minoring in Theatre. He hopes to write and direct a feature film and has been working on screenplays since he was 17. He writes film reviews for the Tertangala and works on his latest project ‘The Last Film’ while working a full-time job at a fish market. Mason despises reviewing films he dislikes and because of this, every review he writes acts as a recommendation.
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