Anupama Chopra reviews "F1," the latest racing drama starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joseph Kosinski. In this review for The Hollywood Reporter, Anupama admits upfront that she has zero interest in Formula 1 racing and can't even drive, yet found herself completely seduced by this comeback story for over two and a half hours. She examines how Kosinski reconstructs familiar comeback clichés into an exhilarating experience, drawing parallels to his previous work on "Top Gun: Maverick" with its intergenerational dynamics between aging racer Sonny Hayes and hotshot young driver Joshua Pearce. Anupama discusses the performances of Brad Pitt as the broken but charismatic Sonny, Javier Bardem as his supportive friend Ruben, and Kerry Condon as the feisty technical director Kate McKenna, noting Pitt's ability to ground the formulaic story with his effortless charisma at 61.
The review highlights how the film's technical achievements - IMAX cameras mounted in real F1 cockpits during actual 2023 races, with Pitt and Damson Idris doing their own driving - create a breathtaking, almost meditative experience that makes even non-racing fans understand the sport's appeal. While she acknowledges the film doesn't aim for nuance and features a laughably weak villain, Anupama concludes that the sparkle and electricity make "F1" impossible to resist, strongly recommending the IMAX theater experience.
