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Ford v Ferrari Movie Review

“We’re lighter, we’re faster, and if that don’t work, we’re nastier.” - Carroll Shelby
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Ford v Ferrari is a new film directed by James Mangold, and stars Matt Damon as famed automotive designer Carroll Shelby, and Christian Bale as his driver, Ken Miles.  Together, the two men must work together to help Ford beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is a 24 hour long road race that takes place in the city of Le Mans, France.
Ford v Ferrari was not a movie that I was terribly excited to see, but I wanted to keep an open mind.  After all, the movie had been getting a lot of buzz from both audiences and critics alike.  After seeing the film for myself, it’s easy to see why people enjoyed it so much.  I was really surprised by not only the technical aspects of the movie, but also the performances.  Christian Bale deserves an Oscar nomination for his work here as Ken Miles.  He totally brings the character to life, and portrays him with spunk, energy, humor, and wit.  Bale’s performance made Miles my favorite character in the entire film.  Matt Damon also excels in his portrayal of Carroll Shelby, and so does John Bernthal as Lee Iacocca.  
The camerawork consists of some really tight shots which worked well for the film, but it also has its fair share of wides, which I greatly appreciated.  The race scenes are thrilling to watch, and the action is captured beautifully.  The camera focuses on the cars with incredible pans, and then cuts to close-up shots of the character’s faces.  Ford v Ferrari is a film that is both well-shot, and tightly edited.  
Another thing Ford v Ferrari has going for it is its music.  There are many fantastic musical moments in the film, one of my favorites being an early race scene in which the music is driving, and fast.  Written by Buck Sanders and the always wonderful Marco Beltrami, the score is tough and cool, while also remaining easy.
Probably my favorite aspect of Ford v Ferrari is the character development.  All of the characters were truly fascinating, and I was absolutely riveted by the things that they did.  Each character is incredibly well crafted, and has their own clear motivations, and things that drive them.  The ways in which they evolve throughout the film is really cool to see.
In terms of issues I had with the film, I thought that some of the character introductions were a bit rocky, and didn’t really seem to fit the style of the movie.  There were also some considerable pacing issues, especially towards the beginning.  Some scenes were really rushed, and others went on for just a little too long.  There are also a few scenes at the beginning relating to one of the characters having a heart problem.  It seems like that plot point is going somewhere important, but it’s never mentioned again for the rest of the film, which I found to be really weird.  
Overall though, Ford v Ferrari is well put together, and gets the job done.  It’s a joy to watch, and has some great leading performances.  Like the cars depicted in the film, this movie goes fast, looks pretty, and is able to maintain a fairly consistent pace for a long period of time.  If you get the chance, I would suggest giving this film a watch.
Rating: PG-13
Grade: A- 

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