Directed by legendary filmmaker, Michael Mann (He’s one of my favorite directors, so I am biased), Ferrari follows Adam Driver playing the title role as he deals with the loss of his son, his marriage falling apart, and his impending bankruptcy. Ferrari was one of my most anticipated films of the year. Michael Mann has solidified himself as one of the best filmmakers with his earlier work, such as Heat & Collateral. It has been 8 years since Mann’s last theatrical film, which was lackluster compared to the rest of his filmography. Going into the theater, it dawned on me that this was my first Mann picture in the theater. While I need his earlier work to get rereleases ASAP, this will do in the meantime.

When the film opens up, we get quite the unique segment with Enzo Ferrari racing in this vintage style. It’s unique within itself by the way they are able to implement Driver in this scene to make it look like he is truly alive during this time period. From here, things only get bleaker. As Ferrari is navigating his old age through a deteriorating marriage, an affair, the death of his son, and his company on the verge of bankruptcy, the film opening up the way it did with Ferrari at his best is the right way to start this story. Ferrari is longing for the life he once had. As he journeys through the worst part of his life, he remains confident that things will work out, and this wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for what is perhaps Driver’s best performance.

I actually thought about this on several occasions throughout the film and I’d say his performance is neck-and-neck with his performance in Marriage Story. The difference here is that Driver has the ability to truly embody Enzo Ferrari in a captivating way. Whenever he is around his peers, he remains dominant without ever saying a word. If he says a word, he is precise and no one questions him. You’d be wrong if you think he has the best performance, because the best performance rightfully goes to Penélope Cruz. Cruz has already been getting a lot of awards attention for her role – a performance that I hope will see on the Oscars ballot.

The advanced screening that I saw promoted a segment that would occur after the movie where Michael Mann would be talking about the sound with the re-recording artist. I didn’t get the chance to see it, but I can see why this was heavily promoted for these screenings. The sound was astonishing in Dolby Cinema. The sound is another key aspect that I hope to see on the Oscars ballot. The other key aspect that coincides with the sound is the cinematography, which stands out from the rest of Mann’s filmography. I was actually glad to see how he pivoted from his signature style that he established in the 2000’s. I don’t think that style would have worked for this film. With how mature the film is between its direction, acting, and other technical aspects, this is a film that shows how Mann has grown as a director even though he has already made his mark as one of the best. Of course, there is also the hair & makeup that will also hopefully be on the ballot as well.

While the film is one of my most anticipated, I can still see the film’s faults. Better yet, I can even see where people are coming from who don’t like it. First off, there was a particular scene where the CGI was so questionable that stuck out like a sore thumb. I was reminded of the viewer who questioned Adam Driver about it and his response. It’s unfair to ask Driver that question, but I can see where the viewer may have been coming from. There is a particular moment that involved a car crashing where the person driving it is shown to be thrown out of the car. The person in question literally looked like a toy being thrown. Driver’s reaction as Ferrari was also quite odd as he seemed quite unphased by this. That doesn’t quite stop there as there was another moment later on in the film where it was clear that a dummy was in the car. With a $95 million budget, I don’t really blame anyone if they had to make due with most of the budget going into things that worked like the talent.

I do have mixed feelings on the script, which clearly won’t be for everyone. I do have a theory behind it though. It feels like Adam Driver is Michael Mann and the racers are Michael Mann’s greatest hits. I see it this way, because of the way how Ferrari is presented. Ferrari is longing for his golden days. At his older age, he still has to remain resilient. With this being Mann’s first film in 8 years, I saw a lot resemblance between the two and found the film to be quite remarkable due to it. The way the film ends is certainly open-ended, which felt intentional to show that life goes on.

Other aspects of the film worth mentioning are ones that didn’t quite work. For one, and this is something many others seem to be agreeing with, but why was Shailene Woodley in this? Her accent is barely there. It would have been far more suitable to have an Italian actress. Nothing against Woodley, but it’s hard to suspend disbelief when this is a biopic. I also don’t know how I feel about the way the side characters are presented. A lot of other side characters are thrown in, but not enough time is given to them. I would have preferred more characterization for them, especially for what happens to them in the end.

Overall, Ferrari has its faults through its script, yet can be forgiving through its performances and technical aspects. This may be Driver & Cruz at their best and Mann proves that he can still grow as a director. The story is gripping and well-paced that makes its 2-hour runtime fly by. I think this will be a film that grows on its viewers, myself included. If you have been longing for Mann’s next film, appreciate the talent in front of the camera, or simply like racing films, definitely check this one out.

VERDICT: Great