Character drama+F1 racing=A Very Good Movie

Rating: 8/10 (6 October 2013)

Ron Howard's movies can be a hit or miss. They are either really good or not very memorable. Nonetheless, he is a director that will try anything. That reason alone makes him very versatile. Each of his movies looks and feels different than the other. His new film Rush is set during the 1970s—about the Formula One racers. Its center focus is the rivalry between Englishman James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Austrian Nicki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). What could have been a bland sports action flick is an interesting and thorough character study of two men after glory. Both share the same goal of winning the championship yet they are both polar opposites on their outlooks in the game.
James Hunt is depicted as a charismatic playboy type. He sleeps around with women, drinks, parties, and lives purely for the moment. Lauda on the other hand is an individual who sets himself to be the best. He takes his driving so seriously that he spends all nighters perfecting his race car, not even bothering to associate with his fellow acquaintances. One cannot help but wonder if he is an "a--hole" as most characters call him, or if he is just treating racing as an occupation. Hunt displays a persona that is easy to like and admire—he is a bit of a showman and likes to have fun. Lauda is the opposite. He could care less about his looks or images and he is hardly ever seen elated. Seeing these two completely different personalities marks great character drama that gives the audience a purpose to watch the film—unlike Days of Thunder, which was only fun because of the races and crash sequences.
While the movie is well written by the great Peter Morgan, the soul rests on Hemsworth's and Brühl's performances. Hemsworth scores his best work as James Hunt. It is nice to see him break away from being Thor and doing something that requires a bit more depth. Perhaps this can be a shift away from the superhero schtik. Spanish actor Daniel Brühl had more of a challenge to develop with his character. One of which is the fact that he had to portray an Austrian racer. Though bilingual, his Austrian accent feels fake and overdone. That does not necessarily mean he is terrible. Acting wise, he is very good. He truly shines following the crash that almost leaves his character dead.
He marvelously pulls off a touching scene in which he tries to fit a helmet over his head, but he can't due to the pain. Both the physical and emotional agony he endears of fearing he may never be able to drive again is borderline heart wrenching to watch. Many people are talking Oscar buzz for him and he might very well earn a nomination.
The other factor that cannot be overlooked is the technical marvels that Ron Howard and his crew put together—the fact that cameras were mounted on real F1's going 180 miles per hour is incredible. The type of camera angles and techniques are fascinating. We get to visually experience what it is like to be on a fast ride. As director of photography, Anthony Dod Mantle truly went all out on this picture. The sound design is equally top-notched, some of the best I have ever heard in a movie theater. The editing is crisp, appropriately building the plot's tension. The visual effects are sparse but effective during the crash sequences. Hans Zimmer's score is low-key for the drama and adrenaline pumping for the races—a fitting mix. Most of all, the make up and prosthetics used for Daniel Brühl in the second half of the movie is shocking and realistic. The real Nicki Lauda saw this movie on its premiere in Europe and he even said after his viewing of the recreation of the crash sequence and his subsequent injuries was an authentic and intense experience for him.
Rush is more than above the average sports flick and it is not watered down to the PG-13 rating. Aside from swear words and graphic race car-related injuries, the sexual appetite and drug/alcohol abuse by James Hunt is a strong force in the movie. Such things can happen to men in a dangerous occupation like F1 racing—they often choose to live a wild lifestyle. As Hunt says in the movie, "The closer you are to death, the more alive you feel. It's a wonderful way to live." Do not be discouraged by the rating. Rush is a very good movie. 8/10