Episode 36 - Review: Ferrari (2023)

After 20 years of trying to get "Ferrari" made (including several actors being attached to the film only to depart shortly after), Mann got his lead cast together with Adam Driver playing Enzo Ferrari (2nd time playing a famous Italian entrepreneur after leading in "House of Gucci") and Penélope Cruz as Laura Ferrari, a standout in this movie. Challenges this movie faced included casting as mentioned, COVID-related production challenges, and challenges with distribution in the States because the original distributor STX Films shut down their distribution and marketing operations, so the film was eventually sold to the distributor Neon for US theatrical release on Christmas Day (awful placement considering other films that would be competing with it around that holiday time).

However, after all of these challenges, this movie shows that Mann has not lost his magic touch at all. He directs a tight, tense, and emotional story about Enzo, Laura, and their legendary company Ferrari. The movie focuses on the year 1957 (just 10 years after the launch of the company). The company is on the verge of bankruptcy and needs to make a big splash if it is to continue. The 1,000-mile race, the Mille Miglia, is the perfect opportunity for Ferrari to win and make said splash. Everything has to go just right. No pressure.

Adam Driver and Penélope Cruz are captivating as the leads. The pacing is perfect. The music by Daniel Pemberton injects the right thrills. Pemberton only had one week to score the movie! He does an incredible job with it. Erik Messerschmidt is the cinematographer who beautifully shoots the movie. He also shot the amazing David Fincher movie "The Killer" that was also released in 2023. For negatives, Shailene Woodley was underutilized in the movie, and that arc was maybe unnecessary. On the other hand, it only seems unnecessary because her character and story seemed rushed and a little underdeveloped, but maybe if it was made as a TV series (watch Mann’s brilliant HBO series "Tokyo Vice") that might be a better format for a longer form story where roles like Woodley’s character could be properly shown.

"Ferrari" is still a very powerful story. It is one of my favorite movies of 2023 and is available to rent and/or purchase on all platforms. Enjoy the movie and thank you for listening.