Ferrari is a 2023 biographical drama film directed by Michael Mann and written by Troy Kennedy Martin about Enzo Ferrari, the Italian founder of the car manufacturer Ferrari. It is based on the 1991 biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine by motorsport journalist Brock Yates.
Set during the summer of 1957, the pic finds ex-Formula 1 racer Enzo Ferrari in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura, built from nothing 10 years earlier. Their tempestuous marriage struggles with the mourning for their one son. Ferrari struggles with the acknowledgment of another. His drivers’ lust to win pushes them out to the edge. He wagers all in a roll of the dice on one race, the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia.
The cast includes Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Gabriel Leone, Patrick Dempsey, Sarah Gadon, and Jack O’Connell.
Ferrari made its debut in theaters on December 25th, courtesy of Neon.
THE GOOD
Actor Adam Driver first landed on my radar with the HBO Original raunchy comedy-drama series Girls when it premiered back in 2012. The series which was created by Lena Dunham who I have mixed opinions on but I won’t get into that here, was fantastic for the most part. It is often described as a raunchier younger-aged version of Sex in the City, and if you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it. Although the series focuses on the female characters hence the name, Driver who appears in 49 of the 62 total episodes plays an incredibly impactful role as the very unique and troubled former boyfriend of the main character played by Dunham.
He was easily a favorite of mine in the series and his character development was a big reason why the series worked so well in my opinion. We would next see Driver in a small role in the underrated Coen brothers drama Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), a big role as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017), and Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (2019), one of his best performances in the drama Paterson (2016), and a very impactful role alongside Matt Damon in Ridley Scott’s 2021 film, The Last Duel (our full review here). Bottom line, Driver has risen as one of the more talented and versatile actors so it came as no surprise to me that he would be offered the role of Enzo Ferrari. My appreciation for Driver as well as my interest in the history of the well-known car brand had me very excited to check this film out at release. So, was Ferrari yet another opportunity for Driver to shine as an actor, or was it a misstep in his career? Keep reading to find out!
Adam Driver was phenomenal in what I would say was easily one of his best and most transformative roles, and I personally thoroughly enjoyed Ferrari. The film has its faults and may rub some viewers the wrong way which I will talk about later in the review, but when it comes to all of the important elements that make a great film it delivers. Driver is nearly unrecognizable as the incredibly flawed Enzo Ferrari with his slicked-back gray hair and stylish black sunglasses. He looks much older in the film and carries a certain confidence about him that was a trademark of the Ferrari founder. The cast in general was really good here, but the film also shines when it comes to the incredible setting as we get a look at how absolutely beautiful Italy is.
I had my issues with how the story unfolded at times which I will also talk more about later, but by the end of the film, I felt like everything came together and more than anything else I felt like it offered a clear albeit complex view of Enzo Ferrari. The film is about 70% focused on the personal lives of the characters making the racing element of the film feel like a bit of an afterthought. I was fine with this approach as it felt necessary considering everything that transpired, it just feels worth mentioning so people have a better idea of what to expect when going to see the film. Ferrari is a bit slow-moving in the sense that it is a character-driven film, so viewers looking for more of a thriller to keep them engaged will be disappointed.
I touched on it already but the biggest strength of the film is the cast, primarily the performance from Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari. Fans of Driver will be enthralled by his performance as he truly becomes someone else right before your eyes. Driver was already one of my favorite actors as I mentioned earlier but his performance here just further reinforced my appreciation of his work. This was not an easy role to play as it required a great deal of emotion and just an overall genuine feel of who this man was, and he crushed it. Acting alongside Driver was the beautiful Penélope Cruz as Laura Ferrari. A strong-willed woman who dealt with a great deal of heartbreak in her life, I was very impressed by her performance and thought she had a natural chemistry with Driver. Plus I felt for her character which speaks to how much emotion she was able to display on-screen.
Shailene Woodley stars as the centerpiece of Enzo Ferrari’s double-life, and I enjoyed her performance as well. I did feel like in many ways she was overshadowed by Cruz’s performance, but that was inevitable as she played such a big role in the story from the start. The supporting cast was a bit split as far as screen-time is concerned, but I thought Gabriel Leone was great as Alfonso de Portago, Jack O’Connell delivered as he always does as Peter Collins, and last but not least my guy Patrick Dempsey was fantastic as the handsome silver fox veteran racer, Piero Taruffi.
From a technical standpoint, Ferrari is polished and shining right down to the rims. It was apparent right away that the finer elements of filmmaking would be prioritized, and that had been excited from the jump. I am big on a film that loves to try and tell a story with powerful shots and immersive cinematography, and that was my experience with Ferrari. As a character-driven biographical drama film, it was important for viewers to feel like they could experience things from the perspective of Enzo Ferrari during the summer of 1957, and I felt like they did that. It was evident throughout who would be the focal point of the film, I mean granted the title gives it away, but it all prioritized Ferrari and his relentless fight to preserve his company in the face of an incredibly messy personal life.
Talented cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt did a great job maximizing what he had at his disposal shooting on location in Italy, offering a ton of fabulous shots that helped to tell this important story. I was also very impressed by the score from composer Daniel Pemberton as it helped to fuel the more emotional and tragic moments during the film. I also thought the period details for the late 50s were spot on, from the wardrobes to the cars, right down to the overall filming style. Credit to director Michael Mann for his vision and work behind the camera, and also to Troy Kennedy Martin for a very impactful screenplay.
THE BAD
Ferrari isn’t a perfect film from the standpoint that it may not appeal to a broader audience for a few reasons, but the biggest reason is that it is intended for true film lovers and those with a genuine interest in the subject matter. For example, all of the elements that make a great film are well above average making this a real treat for film enthusiasts, but that does come at a price. Although it was a wide-release film in many ways Ferrari feels like a limited release in the sense that it is very clearly not overly concerned with winning over mainstream audiences with all of the bells and whistles sort of speak. At its core, the film is a deconstruction of Enzo Ferrari with a focus on his messy personal life. The bottom line, those expecting a fast-paced and exciting film about racing will be disappointed. If you need to scratch that itch I suggest checking out Gran Turismo (our full review here) which is now streaming on Netflix.
Ferrari also feels a bit confusing at times in terms of the story to the point where I felt like I was missing important things. Luckily it all comes together in the third act as it was seemingly intentional as far as just trying to leave breadcrumbs for viewers, I just think they could have done a better job of how they approached this method of storytelling. I also found the special effects to be a bit off at times in terms of realism, but that didn’t take too much away from the film. Some people have complained that it was hard to always understand the dialogue because of strong accents, and I did notice this at times as well but not enough to say it was a big concern.
THE VERDICT
A compelling and deeply emotional biographical drama fueled by a monster performance from Adam Driver, Ferrari is a slower-paced character-driven film that requires patience from viewers as the story unfolds. Just be patient though because the final act is next-level intense. As I talked about during the review the film may feel a bit slow for the average moviegoer lacking interest in the subject matter, but there is a ton to appreciate here for those of us who appreciate the finer elements of filmmaking. Just don’t expect an adrenaline-fueled racing film because this is not that type of movie. Driver continues to make his case as one of the more intriguing actors working today, and the rich history behind the Ferrari brand alone makes this film worth your time.
TED TAKES RATING - 7.8/10
Ferrari is now streaming on Hulu. Check out the latest trailer below.