Review of 'Rush'
Set in the 1970s Rush tells the story of two Formula One drivers: The playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and the technical Nicky Lauda (Daniel Brühl). Their conflicting personalities and understanding of what it takes to succeed is what forms the cornerstone of this movie - Hunt refusing to give up his womanizing and drinking - The honest rogue that endeared himself to the world. Lauda - The serious technician that begins his career by advising racing teams on car setup eventually finds the only way into Formula One is to buy his way in and prove himself once he gets there. The two were the best in their sport as they competed for the 1976 championship. They both live to race at the cost of their personal lives and, further, in the case of Lauda, almost his life. It is a story of opposites and yet they are the same: Driven to win. “Opposites” perhaps is a bit too cut-and-dry, at the beginning they are quite different but it is interesting to see how towards the end each taking on attributes of the other - Hunt becoming more serious and Lauda relaxing up a bit.
Amazingly well done movie with Hemsworth and Brühl giving convincing performances. It is a completely convincing portrayal of what it must have been like in those days with the frighteningly slack safety procedures resulting in frequent driver deaths (though with the sight of how close the spectators were to the track it is no wonder more of them were not killed). The special effects are subtle, blending unobtrusively into the whole. For someone that claims to know little of Formula One, Howard certainly did his homework here.
If anything, the only complaint I might have is the over-the-top scenes in the hospital which left everyone in the cinema gasping - I am not entirely sure the amount of it was truly necessary but it certainly does show the suffering that Lauda experienced during his recovery.
No other real complaints though - A great story of the human condition and the strive to succeed.
Rating: “Nearly perfect, but not quite”
Review Date: 2013-09-27
Directed by: Ron Howard
Studio: Exclusive Media Group
Year: 2013
Length: 123 minutes
Genre: Melodrama
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1979320/
Other reviewed films by Ron Howard:
- Willow (1988)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)