Ford v Ferrari [8/10]

The sooner we rid the world of petrol-guzzling, carbon-emitting cars, the better. At least that’s my view, so the thought of watching “Ford v Ferrari,” a retelling of Ford tackling Ferrari at a 24-hour Le Mans race in 1966, was repugnant. But it remains a truism that intelligent, heartfelt cinema can render any topic riveting, and I was blown away by this film’s wonderful script, elegant pacing, and immersive scene-making. Christian Bale is stellar in portraying a maverick British racing car driver, and Matt Damon does a terrific job as his partner and foil, as a daring car maker. A slightly mawkish ending threatens to, but never does, upset the narrative tension. The kinetic race scenes, so realistic with jarring, speed, and horrendous noise, reminded me why I’ll never attend a car event, but they worked in spades. Recommended for young and old.

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