Rush: Reviewed

Director: Ron Howard

There are probably a few cynics out there who think that double Oscar winner and ex- Happy Days actor Ron Howard was taking a big risk in directing a motor sport movie.

Traditional motor racing films have never had a wide appeal to cinema goers and they were usually watched by complete petrol heads. They usually starred a ‘man’s man’ movie star of the period such as James Garner in Grand Prix (1966), Steve McQueen, Le Mans (1971), Sylvester Stallone, Driven (2001) and even little Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder (1990). Most of these films were quite monotonous had little or no storyline and usually only got produced because the headline star had a particular penchant for driving fast machines (boring).

I’m pleased to say that fortunately Ron Howard has made an extremely watchable and intelligent movie, concentrating on more that the cars being the stars.

Rush is set in 1976 and follows the professional rivalry of the British Formula One racing driver and ex public schoolboy James Hunt and his nemesis, Austrian three times Formula One World Champion Niki Lauda. Hunt is played by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth (Thor / Snow White & The Huntsman). Hunt was a larger than life character and was well suited to the sexy high octane playboy lifestyle that the sport offered him. He was the complete opposite of Niki Lauda played by German actor Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds / Good Bye Lenin) who plays the role with an uncanny resemblance to the Austrian racing driver. Lauda was a very serious and precise competitor with a very logical and technically minded approach to motor racing whereas Hunt was all about the excitement, fun and the buzz that the sport allowed him to experience.

The film opens in 1976 with a tremendous shot of two F1 racing cars thundering down the track with a noise and soundtrack that sends shivers down your spine. We quickly rewind to the early 70’s when the racing rivals were in the lower ranks of F3 championships and even then you can the fierce competition between these two giants of the sport. We follow the pair through the ups and downs of securing a sponsorship and their off track relationships. For Lauda he is lucky to find that special woman in Marlene Knaus (Alexandra Maria Lara) who will support and stand by him for better or worse. For Hunt it’s all beautiful women, parties, women, drink and of course more women. He does eventually marry Suzy Miller (Olivia Wilde) who ended up leaving him for the iconic Welsh actor Richard Burton. However, the film is more about the relationship between the two men who despite their differences both share a high respect for each other. They are well aware that each day on the track could be their last. We are reminded in the film that out of twenty competitors who take part in the Formula One Championship two of them will die each year.

Of course the film also includes the horrific accident that Lauda suffered in a Grand Prix race at Nurburgring in Germany during the 1976 season. Lauda’s car burst into flames and he was so badly burned with damage to his lungs and face that he was given the last rites. While in hospital Lauda watches Hunt on television as has to endure watching him go higher up the leader board. This makes Lauda more determined to get back into the driving seat and he achieved this in only 6-weeks after his accident.

The film has a great screenplay written by Peter Morgan who also wrote The Last King of Scotland (2006), The Queen (2006), Frost Nixon (2008) and The Dammed United (2009). Morgan had a great starting point as the real life story is so unbelievable that you could not have made it up.

Ron Howard’s direction is superb with some great close ups during the action packed racing scene but equally he shows the audience a great human interest story. Chris Hemsworth has obviously studied newsreels and TV appearances of Hunt and does a good job of portraying a man living on the edge. He also pulls off a reasonable posh English accent. But it’s Daniel Brühl who steals the show and really gets inside the persona of Niki Lauda and this is very much his film. Daniel Brühl and Niki Lauda met up during the making of the film and Lauda was awed by Brühl's performance. Lauda is still involved in the Grand Prix in his capacity as non-executive chairman of the Mercedes Formula 1 team. As for Hunt it was rather ironic that despite his dangerous day job he died of a heart attack at his home in Wimbledon in 1994. He was only 43 years old.

I thoroughly recommend this film as a non petrol head myself.

Five out of five stars.

In cinemas from September 13 2013.

Certificate 15