Great entertainment even if you're not a Rev Head

Rating: 9/10 (19 November 2019)

My Review - Ford V Ferrari
Mr rating. 8.5 /10
I don't have the slightest interest in car racing or cars but this story and its characters held my interest for 152 minutes and that in my opinion is the test of good directing by James Mangold ( Walk the Line ,Wolverine Logan) and a great ensemble cast of actors.
Ford V Ferrari is based on a true story like nearly every movie these days and centres around the two main characters Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale as racing car driver Ken Miles
The bones of the story you can view in the trailer but the flesh and blood is in the great script by Jason Keller and brothers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth who were named recipients of the Writers Guild of America West's 2011 Paul Selvin Award for their screenplay for the film Fair Game (2010), directed by Doug Liman and starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn.
The story is basically described in IMBD as American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference, the laws of physics and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
For me it was the characters that got me in not the great action car racing scenes
Matt Damon as usual gives a great performance but it's Christian Bale that steals the film he's a great dad and husband and very funny at times but doesn't suffer fools graciously and has attitude plus to anyone who tries to come between him and his passion of racing. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Christian Bale is nominated for an Oscar next year for this role of course he'll lose it to Joaquin Phoenix for Joker.
Matt Damon is his friend and champion when the self interested Ford Corporate bosses try to edge Ken Miles out as their driver as in their eyes he's not a "Ford Man."
Henry Ford 11 played so well by Tracy Letts is a pig and runs his Ford Empire with fear that includes one scene in which he shuts of the machines and threatens his workers . Josh Lucas as Leo Beebe Fords Director of Special vehicles and the executive nemesis of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles is also great in this perfectly balance ensemble cast of actors .
Ken Miles wife Mollie played by Catriona Balfe gets a special mention as does Noah Jupe as Miles son Peter they are both so convincing and it reinforces my empathy with families of racing car drivers and all daredevil pursuits that they can never be sure if their loved one will come home after a race.
I thoroughly recommend seeing Ford V Ferrari it's one of the best movies of the year.