Since this is a true story, I’ll skip the spoiler alert but I also won’t give away any surprises.
Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in this dramatization of Ford’s grudge match with Ferrari to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans road race. Damon plays Carroll Shelby, the legendary race car designer and Bale is Ken Miles a race driver who partners with Shelby to design a car that can give Ford the victory over the Ferrari in the race that they perennially win.
The movie highlights the contrast between the passionate individualism of Shelby and Miles and the hierarchical and bloodless conformity of the Ford upper management that looks to interfere with Shelby’s team at every turn.
I’m not a racing fan or a car connoisseur. But the movie provides an infectious excitement that reminds me of that same feeling in movies about the American space program of the 1960s. There’s a conquering spirit that strives for greatness and pushing the boundaries. It captures the optimism that America still had in those times and it is exhilarating.
Both Bale and Damon provide excellent performances. Bale especially disappears into the role. I won’t elaborate much more except to say this is a surprisingly compelling movie and I recommend it highly.