Director Michael Mannputs the pedal to the metal in a middle-of-the-road biography of an automotive legend.Ferrari, adapted fromEnzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machineby Brock Yates, follows the Italian icon during a critical year for his business and personal life as he attempts to beat Maserati at the distinguished Mille Miglia endurance race. Ferrari hid his beloved mistress and illegitimate son from a fiery spouse who handled the company’s financial affairs. A volatile marriage exploded in sordid public view as racing tragedies threatened bankruptcy. The film is gripping at times with solid supporting performances, but suffers from sluggish pacing and questionable visual effects choices.
In 1957 Modena, Italy, Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) wakes up in bed with the beautiful Linda Lardi (Shailene Woodley). Enzo enjoys breakfast with their young son, Piero (Giuseppe Festinese), as he regales him with stories of racing glory. He lovingly kisses Linda goodbye as he promises to return later. Enzo hurries across town to his official domicile. Laura (Penélope Cruz), his furious wife, excoriates him for staying out all night. She’s disgusted and embarrassed by his philandering. Laura expresses her displeasure with shocking anger. She’s still devastated by the death of their son, Dino (played by Edoardo Beraldi and Gabriel Noto at different ages).
Enzo’s swarmed by tabloid reporters as he enters his factory. Rumors swirl that Ferrari may have to take a business partner to survive. He poured money into perfecting a new race car for the upcoming Mille Miglia. Maserati’s Giorgio Scarlatti had dominated the previous year. Enzo’s ego couldn’t allow another crushing defeat. He trusted his racing team, led by the stalwart Piero Taruffi (Patrick Dempsey), but knew Maserati’s vehicle and star racer were formidable competition.
Preparing for the Mille Miglia
Enzo ignores Alfonso de Portago (Gabriel Leone) at a traffic light on his way to the racetrack. Portago, an unemployed but noted driver, wasn’t needed. That calculus soon changes as events on the road and bedroom converge. Laura’s review of their accounting reveals his wayward trysts. She searches for where he truly spends his free time. Meanwhile, Linda is done hiding in the shadows. She wants Enzo to claim Piero with his last name. Enzo’s world collapses as the racing scene flocks to Italy for the Mille Miglia.
Ferrarivacillates between intense dramatic lust, turbocharged debacles, and stalking paparazzi. Enzo was widely admired as the pinnacle of Italian male success. He was handsome, accomplished, and created a brand that brought national pride in the wake of the disastrous Second World War. His dalliances and reputation as a lothario filled newspapers, much to Laura’s disgust. But his treasured second family was kept hidden out of masculine respect. you may imagine Laura’s unmitigated fury at discovering something that everyone in Italy already new.
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The love trianglebetween Enzo, Linda, and Laura is the most captivating part of the film. That’s probably not what racing enthusiasts want to hear. Cruz steals the show as the tortured Laura. She wasn’t just the woman at Enzo’s side. Laura ran the company as the true fiscal brains of the operation. She handled the details while allowing Enzo to put his energy into their stunning cars. Her betrayal cuts deep with the existence of a Ferrari heir born to another woman. Laura was still attracted to Enzo despite his lies. Linda shared that intoxication for a man who unabashedly wanted every piece of the pie. She was tired of playing second fiddle, but supremely confident in being his true desire. Woodley’s compelling in a warmer, less combative role.
Secrets Revealed
Driver, a superb actor, is strangely stoic and composed throughout, with rare flashes of emotion concerning racing matters. Juggling a wife, paramour, and children seems less important than victory in his ambiguous performance. There are two ways to judge Driver’s protagonist. He’s crushed by the loss of Dino, loves Piero, but doesn’t want to hurt Laura any further. Enzo’s shielding of the truth could be less a display of cowardice and more about how much he cares for Laura, or it could just mean that his company, reputation, and arrogance trumped everything else. Mann (The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, Ali) leaves a definitive interpretation for the audience. There’s an artistic gray area regarding Enzo’s priorities. He doesn’t have to be likable, but an opportunity was missed here.
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Driver’s blunt “f**k you” responseto a question critical of the film’s racing scenes obviously hit a nerve. Mann veers off course when he uses CGI to portray horrendous accidents. The races themselves, shot with practical effects, slick camera work, and sharp editing look phenomenal. But they’re kneecapped by video game theatrics when bodies fly like catapulted cartoon meat. Mann’s goal is to be shocking, but you lose tension with overly computerized violence. There’s merit to the criticism. Mann, one ofthe greatest action filmmakers, should have stuck to a more realistic approach.
Ferrariis a production of Forward Pass, Storyteller Productions, STXfilms, Ketchup Entertainment, and Esme Grace Media, et al. It is currently in national theatrical release from Neon.
