Rush (2013) – 8/10 – Poignant portrayal of one of the greatest motorsports’ rivalries
‘Rush’ is a dramatized film about Formula One racing champions of the 1970s, Austrian Niki Lauda, and Britain’s James Hunt. Even though they were bitter rivals during the races, they were close friends away from the track, pushing each other to be greater. Both had drastically distinct personalities. While Lauda was serious, focused, and tactical, Hunt was a cocky playboy who thrived on taking risks, playing women, and showing off for the thrill. During their rivalry years, Lauda raced for Ferrari and Hunt for McLaren (after starting with Hesketh, which went broke).
I won’t go into detail about the plot, but I will focus on a few points. Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) meet for the first time during a Formula Three race, and the rivalry forms from their first meeting. The film gives equal objective coverage to both, neither overshadowing the other in screen time or personality. Lauda is famous for an accident during the 1976 Grand Prix at the popular Nürburgring track where he almost died from his car burning up. Following the crash, they overhauled the dangerous North Loop for future Formula One races because they deemed it too dangerous for newer F1 cars. The real Lauda loved this film upon release and the depiction of his rivalry with Hunt. A secondary romantic plot for each also depicts Hunt’s first wife, Suzy Miller (Olivia Wilde), and Lauda’s wife, Marlene Lauda (Alexandra Lara). While they had a rivalry, Lauda and Hunt had mutual respect for one another. One doesn’t exist without the other.
Director Ron Howard, noted for his flashiness and storytelling, made this film highly entertaining. The casting was fitting from talent and personality perspectives. Hemsworth and Bruhl were perfect as the leads. Their chemistry and nuances felt appropriate for the personalities they played. Their character development is also impressive and thorough rather than single-dimensional. The filmmakers did an amazing job recreating the races to reflect the 70s, including the mannerisms & bluntness of the era. They had a fascinating narrative to work with and documentaries to ensure accuracy. Solid directing, incredible photography, tight editing, and a score by the savant Hans Zimmer make this an action-packed delight. The individual race sequences with the cinematography and the authentic sounds of the vehicles were also a joy to watch. I found the initial thirty minutes slow, and the dialogue occasionally felt cliché.
Would I recommend this? Yes, I would recommend it even if you are not big into motorsports. This film is bigger than any race or Formula One sport. It’s about two contrasting personalities whose rivalry cemented their legendary status in the sports world.
