A well rounded film

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2020)

I saw this only because I always see the films nominated for best picture. I don't drive and I know almost nothing about Motorsports. I still managed to be thoroughly entertained by the film. The film deftly blends a story of corporate skulduggery with the racing stuff and manages to tell human interest story about both Miles and Shelby. With so many balls in the air the editor and writers manage to keep the film straightforward and *moving.* This is one the best paced films of the year and the racing stuff is just fantastic as actions scenes.
My only real problem with the film is that Beebe's animosity towards Miles is underdeveloped. They have one scene where they butt heads but it propels a lot of the tension of the story. I didn't realize how critical the butting heads scene was until after the movie was long over. It is the only part of the film that wasn't top notch.
Bale is the best part. Miles is a great prickly underdog. And Bale hasn't every been this endearing in ages. The film ends up having a bittersweet ending and Bale's choices really help the ending land with emotional power. This was a very good film.