RUSH Was a Surprise Gem for this Non-Race Fan

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2014)

I will always appreciate a movie that can generate my interest in something that I previously couldn't care less about. In the case of RUSH, that something is racing. Specifically, Formula-1 racing. RUSH is another in a long line of films based on actual events to come out in 2013 and it ranks right up there with the best of them. It receives bonus points for the fact that those involved in the original events claim RUSH to actually be pretty accurate in its details, with a little creative liberty taken by the filmmakers to jazz it up a bit. It's the story of a rivalry that captured international attention in the 1976 Formula-1 racing season. James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) are very different men and both of them are incredibly talented drivers. The movie begins as the two struggle to make their mark on the Formula-3 circuit and follows their rise into the spotlight of Formula-1 in the pursuit of the world championship. As the two battle neck-and-neck for position, their rivalry fuels them to push harder and faster until a disastrous moment changes both their lives and professional relationship. RUSH has become my favorite film from director Ron Howard (note: I've never seen APOLLO 13 so that could change. I know, blasphemy.) and is probably one of my top favorite movies from the year. It succeeded at both making racing interesting to a non-fan while crafting two incredibly interesting characters who are competing for polar opposite reasons.
For starters, I'm one of those anti-NASCAR sorts who can't be bothered to watch a bunch of people "drive in circles" for hours on end. For me to willfully watch a movie about the sport of racing (and, yes, I'm aware there's a difference between NASCAR and Formula-1 racing), it took a healthy batch of glowing positive reviews. And RUSH received heaps of praise when it hit. When combined with Chris Hemsworth's rising stardom thanks to his role as Thor in the Marvel cinematic universe (of which I'm a fan), it was enough to get my attention and I'm so glad I gave it a shot. RUSH is a blast, from the edge-of-your-seat racing segments to the back-and-forth trash talk between two talented professionals on opposite sides of the coin. Hunt is a daredevil. He drives for the thrill of the ride and revels in how close he comes to death with each event. He's in it for the glory. Lauda is a meticulous man. He uses a keen business sense in conjunction with his racing skill to master his craft. He's in it for the respect. The two ideologies bumping heads is what powers RUSH and keeps the audience invested. As cool as the racing segments are, they're nothing compared to the moments with the racers themselves. As I understand, a lot of the racing was done in camera with a minimal amount of CG to enhance the visuals. It helps, as the Formula-1 races and fast and brutal and CG cars would've dulled any sense of danger. And the movie isn't shy about showing the downsides to the Formula-1 lifestyle. Racers died in the sport (at least two a year at the time, if the movie is to be believed) and the excitement of the race circuit is intercut with the occasional accident to remind the viewer of the stakes.
Chris Hemsworth and, especially, Daniel Brühl should've received more attention for their performances here. There was a lot of praise when the movie debuted but it had fizzled before awards season hit. Chris Hemsworth is commendable but Hunt isn't exactly a character that strikes me as outside his wheelhouse. Hunt is boisterous and often drunk; he's a daredevil with a mean party streak and Hemsworth fills the role perfectly. He's your typical jock in most regards but he's got the added bonus of obsession of staring death in the face. But he's not a total jerk and we see a welcome change in him in the final third of the movie following the disaster at Nürburgring. Brühl has the meatier role here in Niki Lauda. His performance is mesmerizing whenever he's on screen. He's such a peculiar man. Born in Austria, Lauda is abrasively candid, unafraid to call out Hunt for his dangerous race habits or tell the owner of Ferrari that his newest racer is a pile of garbage. His no-holds-barred nature and the fact that he bought his way into Formula-1 with personal loans earn him some enemies and ultimately contributes to his near fatal accident. Hemsworth may have the star power and top billing in the film but this is definitely Brühl's film in the end. Regardless, Howard does a fantastic job of balancing each character in the film, giving us the film from both perspectives. There's no hero and villain here. Just two men with a drive to be world champions.