F1 was an unexpected win
The Average Dude was not immediately on-board with going to see F1. In my experience, for every Days of Thunder, there are multiple Speed Racers. As a matter of fact, in my pantheon of worst movies I’ve ever seen, Sly Stalone’s Driven ranks #3. I’m not sure what it is about racing movies that leaves me cold. RUSH had some great performances but still managed to bore me. Ford vs Ferrari, the same. I’m mildly curious about Gran Turismo but not enough to shoehorn it into my busy viewing schedule. But I digress.
Give the kids what they want
On the weekend that F1 was released, the littles were visiting and wanted VERY MUCH for Mr & Mrs Average Dude to take them to see ELIO. And because I am the quintessential Dude, I would never tell them no to a request like that.* We went. They enjoyed it. We enjoyed watching them shove popcorn into mouths. We live for these moments.
So, it seemed like The Average Dude was not going to be able to give F1 a timely review. After all, the new Jurasic Park was coming up. More on that later. Maybe. But during that off-week, I started hearing whispers that F1 was actually quite good. The whispers got louder and became an actual conversation. While I was able to avoid any spoilers (as is my way), I could not un-hear the positive chatter on F1.
Avert your gaze
Stack that next to the also growing chatter that Jurasic Park: Rebirth was a weak cash-grab born of a tired IP (not to mention that I apparently am not allowed to gaze ‘pon the form of ScarJo anymore), I made the call to skip dino-fatigue and roll the dice on Brad Pitt, who rarely disappoints. Sorry for stating the obvious, but dude has Riz in quantum amounts.
Cutting to the Chase
Your humble Average Dude is happy to report that the whispers were on point. F1 was fun little thrill-ride that didn’t slow down for nuthin’, contained very little racey content (other than the actual racey content) and enough off the track story for us to get at least a little invested in the characters. For a 2 h 35 m film, it actually seemed to zip by like a rice-burner in the fast lane.
The synopsis:
F1 is the story of Sonny Hays (a perfect racer name IMO), a washed up Formula one racer that missed his heyday shot at glory when his fearless (re: reckless) driving resulted in a crash that nearly killed him. Sonny bounced around to other racing sports, unable to settle anywhere. In his rear view mirror, Sonny left the wreckage of relationship after relationship, never quieting his restless ghosts.
Cock fighting is illegal
Along comes Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), an old race pal who is now the owner of his own Formula One team and is in desperate need of a driver. Bringing the old rooster into Ruben’s coup ruffles the feathers of nearly everyone, and none more than young cockerel Joshua Pierce (Damson Idris, looking and acting so vintage Eddie Murphy it’s spooky). Egos flare, insults fly, drivers (and cars) crash. But will they also burn?
F1 is a farely well-worn story retold. No surprises, no new ground. Lots of high-octane car action. The pacing of one of the longest movies so far this year might have been pefect. The characters had their own issues and motivations. They maybe could have even fleshed them out a bit more, but whatever. F1 was still a great surprise in a really lean movie year. And at the checkered flag, the Average Dude is giving F1 a very watchable 4.2/5. It’s not Days of Thunder or Talladega Nights or Cannonball Run rewatchable, but it’s a really pleasant surprise none-the-less. Dinos be darned.
BONUS Reviewer
The Average Dude is fortunate in that one of my boys happens to be a serious F1 fan. Not fan like he’ll catch the races on YouTube or a relplay on ESPN. No, my boy will stay up to watch the race live from Abu Dhabi (which happens at crazy times when most rational folks are asleep). So, Average Son – the youngest – was able to shed the light of reality on F1. Knowledge of the sport and the rules dampened his enjoyment of it a bit but didn’t crash it alltogether. So, if you’re a Formula One afficionado, you can still enjoy it. Unless you’re a purist. Then you’re on your own.
*Will there be a review for ELIO? Answer: ELIO was very forgetable. Was it woke? Yeah, it was. It had a non-traditional family, a disenfrachised minority, a galactic socialist society where all were pacifist cowards (the Comuniverse). ELIO was just eye candy for kids that contained subltle woke overtones. There’s your review. 2/5.
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