Thursday, September 26, 2013

Scream Lauda if you want to go faster

I tend to choose movies that have an element of escapism about them, the unreal, the surreal, the hyper-real. I have chums who get annoyed when something takes place in a film that wouldn't work in the real world. Myself, I'm the opposite, I can (often reluctantly, grudgingly and with poorly disguised ill-humour, sit through a rom-com, an historical drama, a heartwarming tale of everyday folk but secretly I'm yearning for the aliens to arrive, for the housewife to be unmasked as an ace assassin with awesome ninja skills.

"Let's go and see 'Rush', that film about James Hunt" she exclaimed, my lovely wife. "Yes let's do that" I replied, feigning enthusiasm whilst inwardly ticking off the pointless counter arguments. I know the story, I lived then, I know what happens, Formula 1 is formulaic, the 70s were tedious, etc. etc.


No matter, we hooked up with some chums for a pre-movie supper and "away my beauties, hie thee to the multiplex".

You'll not hear this often but "I was wrong". Ron Howard has produced a thoughtful, engrossing and entertaining film. It flows well, the storyline, although we already know it, is delivered with precision and pace, the period detail is extraordinarily well captured. The actors are all great, Chris Emsworth plays hunt very well but this is really a film about Nikki Lauda and the actor who plays him, Daniel Bruhl looks very much the man that Lauda was, a driven perfectionist with dodgy social skills but ultimately a man who earned much-deserved real respect for his drive tenacity and ultimately his humanity. 

I believe that Lauda was a consultant to the film but it certainly doesn't see him through rose-tinted racing goggles. The closing minutes are real news photos and footage of the actual protagonists and I must admit left me a little misty-eyed and Mrs Stuffy quite moved.

A Hubris Haiku?

The Hunt for success

James drove, and lived, to excess
Lauda was prouder




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