Thoughts about cast, crew and generally

Rating: 9/10 (2 February 2020)

This was a very enjoyable film
It is a feel-good, underdog wins, suits win only the hollowest of battle victories, good guys when all the wars.
The driving scenes were great, and I don't care if the gear shifting was technically correct. There were a few memorably intense acting scenes: Tracy Lett's reaction to being driven in a great racing car by a great racing car driver. Christian Bale being driven in a station wagon by an absolutely ferocious wife (Caitriona Balfe) stick in my mind.
After watching this movie I wanted to see what else Caitriona Balfe has acted in - I've watched a few episodes of Outlander and have been really impressed by her ferocity on screen. Not merely noisy -- but oozing heartfelt intensity.
Oh - the cinematography, editing and sound were all world class.
As an afterthought--Christian Bale and Caitriona Balfe are two of the handsomest stars I've ever seen. This production discourages seeing them that way. Bale looks lean, hungry, and slightly weird in most scenes; Caitriona Balfe is not much past ordinary in appearance. The other racing movies this one is compared to are about beautiful people who occasionally need to change out of their racing duds so they can send them to the cleaners before dropping by the club for hors d'oeuvres and aperitifs.
The --uh, restrained--comparisons with Rush, LeMans and Grand Prix may be justified, but I fully enjoyed this movie. If you like cars, competition, various versions of excessive testosterone,--a number of interesting cultural interactions, I think you'll enjoy it too.
Not deep, not technically fulfilling, but clear and interesting story-telling, and cinematically beautiful movie-making all the way through.