Rush finishes in the top spot

Rating: 8/10 (29 September 2013)

Rush This is a film review and there not any plot spoilers.
I went to see this film and had no idea what to expect. I knew Ron Howard could direct a great film, and I knew Chris Hemsworth is perfect for the role of the god of thunder, but beyond that I had done little to prepare for this film besides watch the TV spots; I did not even watch a full trailer. I was amazed and taken aback by how much I enjoyed this film, it is a film that grabs you quickly and keeps you tied to it the entire run time.
To keep things spoiler free I will be very brief about the story, this film is just as much, if not more, about being a man as it is formula 1 racing. It follows two drivers as they try to figure out how to be successful men in the world, through wins, losses, women, marriage, drugs, anger, and gaining and losing control. This is what makes this film so engrossing, the film takes us deep into the lives of two drivers and focuses and explores so much more than just their racing.
However, the racing in this film is some of the best I have seen depicted on camera. The cars are loud, very loud, and at times you think you can feel the heat off the engine, or the body bend under the pressure. The camera effortlessly switches from all angles during the race and it does it well to try and give you the full experience as if you were at the race.
The real bright spot of this film is the acting. All give astounding performances. Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl present these men with full, nuanced, careful, and honest performances. It would have been very easy to let the style and tone of the film drift off the track with inflated and overacted performances but both men fire on all cylinders and hold tight lines the entire film. Olivia Wilde is smart and memorable with her screen time, and Christian McKay fills a very important role in the film and does so splendidly.
There is something very tangible about Rush, it is based on a true story, but it goes deeper than that. This film is an adrenaline rush in and of itself, but it is also very humanizing. This film is definitely not for the fast and furious crowd, but that's another reason that it is so great, it has fast cars and yet a story that is emotional and worth exploring. Add up a great script, good directing, and stellar acting and you get a film that drives just as fast and true as the cars you see on the screen. If you like my review check out chrisancarrow.wordpress.com