FERRARI (HBO MAX) (2023)

SYNOPSIS: Behind the spectacle and danger of 1950’s Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura, built from nothing ten years earlier.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Apparently, Ferrari is filmmaker Michael Mann’s long-gestating passion project, one that took more than two decades to reach the big screen. While it is billed as a biography of Enzo Ferrari, founder of one of the most recognisable supercar brands in the world, it’s not exactly the type of biography you might expect.

The drama is heavily stripped down, though it’s unclear how faithful it is to the 1991 biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine by motorsport journalist Brock Yates, which serves as the film’s source material.

Rather than delivering a straightforward life story, Mann approaches it in the style of Ali, focusing on a single year of Ferrari’s life — 1957 — during which Enzo grapples with both personal and professional crises. His relationship with wife and business associate Laura Domenica Garello (Penélope Cruz) is rocky at best, still haunted by the death of their beloved son, Dino. Meanwhile, he seeks solace in his mistress Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley) and their illegitimate son, Piero.

Ferrari’s finances are precarious, as he spends more on racing than on selling cars. He is consumed with car mechanics, selecting racers, and preparing for the cross-country Mille Miglia, leaving little room for mundane concerns. The film portrays him as a super-busy man, and the screenplay mirrors that chaos: every scene outside Laura’s bedroom or Lina’s kitchen is a whirlwind, an automobile circus of sorts.

Yet, the biography fails to capture the “real” Enzo Ferrari and his legendary business acumen. Much of the screen time is devoted to Enzo circling the grieving Laura, who controls the majority of the business shares, and his inner torment over Piero’s lack of acknowledgement. In short, the film leans more toward domestic melodrama than offering insight into the complexities and drive of the famed car mogul.

For auto racing enthusiasts, there are some moments of interest, though apart from a harrowing crash toward the end, Mann struggles to deliver a truly thrilling race sequence. The performances are strong especially Cruz, who shines as the long-suffering wife. Adam Driver, portraying another famous Italian after House of Gucci, is serviceable but rarely compelling.

After an eight-year hiatus, Mann’s latest big-screen effort sputters like a worn-out Ford, given the potential of the material. The narrative feels old-school, the production values are uneven, and the film, despite its prestige pedigree, ultimately fails to leave a lasting impression. For all the anticipation, Ferrari ends up as just another forgettable entry in Michael Mann’s filmography.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee