Rush

There have been race car movies in our past to sink our teeth into: "Grand Prix", "Winning", "Driven" plus others, but one in the offing this week gives us that international flair where we can get into two different characters in totally different locales all under the roof of "Rush".

Set against the sexy glamorous golden age of Formula 1 racing in the 1970's, the film is based on a true story of a great sporting rivalry between handsome English playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth), and his methodical, obsessed, brilliant opponent, Austrian driver Nikki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl). The story follows their distinctly different personal styles on and off the track, their loves and the astonishing 1976 season in which both drivers were willing to risk everything to become world champion in a sport with no margin for error: if you make a mistake, you die or maimed for life.

Others to round out the cast are Olivia Wilde as Suzy Miller, Alexandra Maria Lara as Marlene Lauda, Pierfrancesco Favino as Clay Regazzoni, David Calder as Louis Stanley, Natalie Dormer as Nurse Gemma, Stephen Mangan as Alastair Caldwell, Christian McKay as Lord Hesketh, Alistair Petrie as Stirling Moss, Julian Rhind-Tutt as Anthony 'Bubbles' Horsley, Colin Stinton as Teddy Mayer, Jamie de Courcey as Harvey 'Doc' Postlethwaite, Augusto Dallara as Enzo Ferrari, and Ilario Calvo as Luca Di Montezemolo.

This was directed with the usual expertise that we've come to expect from Ron Howard ("Grand Theft Auto" '77, "Night Shift" '82, "Splash" '84, "Cocoon" '85, "Gung Ho" '86, "Willow" '88, "Parenthood" '89, "Backdraft" '91, "Far and Away" '92, "The Paper" '94, "Apollo 13" '95, "Ransom" '96, "Edtv" '99, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" 2000, "A Beautiful Mind" '01, "The Missing" '03, "Cinderella Man" '05, "The Da Vinci Code" '06, "Frost/Nixon" '08, "Angels & Demons" '09, and "The Dilemma" '11). Howard was certainly able to pull the underlying animosity between these two rivals in a way that showed anger, but without it coming to fists connecting. It was well written again by the consummate, Peter Morgan ("The Last King of Scotland" '06, "The Queen" '06, "The Other Boleyn Girl" '08, "Frost/Nixon" '08, "The Damned United" '09, "Hereafter" '10, "360" '11). This wasn't quite as cohesive and thought out as that of "The Queen' or "The Last King of Scotland", but it was still taught, riveting, and revealing of these racers.

The sweeping photography by Anthony Dod Mantle asc,bsc,dff was reminiscent of that of "Grand Prix" '66, which was photographed by the incredible Lionel Lindon, asc. Of course, "Grand Prix" was shot in the Cinerama (three spliced together screens) process, this was still equal to the grandiose of that 1966 film. Along with the comparable editing by Dan Hanley, ace, and Mike Hill, ace, Howard's longtime editors, this was a well-crafted American film to beat none.

If you're a racing affictionato you well undoubtedly revel, but even if you're not, the bantering back and forth of these drivers, the photography coupled with the editing will certainly capture your attention with this ride around the track.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                          Rated: R                     123mins.