Engrossing entertainment

Rating: 9/10 (18 October 2013)

By focusing on the rivalry between James Hunt ("Thor's" Chris Hemsworth) and Nicki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) and avoiding the familiar sports movie formula, "Rush" speeds past most 'underdog done good' sport films. Directed by Ron Howard, "Rush" documents the battle for Formula One supremacy between Englishman Hunt and Austrian Lauda during the early- to-mid seventies. This relationship is what makes the movie tick and something to be enjoyed by all movie buffs, not just F1 fans.
While they share a passion for car racing, a desire to win and have big egos, Hunt and Lauda's conflict arises from their differences: Hunt is a tall, good-looking, outwardly confident playboy while Lauda is shorter, looks like a rat and more intense. Both men are intensely flawed – Hunt battled alcohol issues and pre-race nerves, which drives him away from his first wife, model Susie Miller (Olivia Wilde). Lauda is serious, intense and disliked by other racers, mainly because he uses his family's wealth to buy his way into F1.
Not surprisingly, Hemsworth and Bruhl dominate the film. Hemsworth plays on his sex-symbol image (with a number of sex scenes) and Bruhl gives an intense and determined performance. Quite a contrast from those who remember Bruhl from the light German comedy "Goodbye Lenin". Bruhl's performance is even better considering English is his second language and he speaks in a heavy – but still understandable - accent throughout the film. While this is a serious film, the Hunt/Lauda rivalry is complemented with some black humour and back-and-forth insults.
The film focuses on the 1976 F1 season, with some dramatic race scenes. While I'm not an F1 fan, the race scenes are engrossing and you feel like you're in the race with the drivers. The most dramatic part occurs when Lauda recovers from a horrific crash which saw his face badly burnt. Be warned, the hospital scenes are a bit gruesome. Luckily, we're spared a clichéd 'rise to redemption' fairytale finish like every other sports film.
Even if you don't like sports films, "Rush" is well worth watching for the dynamic between Hemsworth and Bruhl.