F1 (2025) Movie Review | F1 The Movie

Overview

F1 The Movie is framed as director Joseph Kosinski’s follow-up to Top Gun: Maverick: same kinetic, cockpit-first style—except this time the camera largely stays on the ground. The reviewer plays with the title (“sounds weird”) and then outlines the film’s premise:

• Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a once-promising F1 star whose career was nearly derailed by a later-life track accident, is now a nomadic racer-for-hire.
• He’s pulled back into Formula One when Ruben (his former teammate) recruits him to drive alongside Joshua “JP” Pearce (Damson Idris), an ambitious rookie who wants to set his own pace.

What Stands Out / Key Highlights

Immersive cockpit racing

The movie’s biggest selling point is the filmmaking. Viewers are repeatedly placed in the driver’s seat with seamless perspective shifts between:

• the driver’s head-on view, and
• wide shots of the pack,

emphasizing how close and chaotic the cars are. The reviewer notes the racing is captured with strong suspense—where results can hinge on fractions of a second.

Performance-focused character drama

• Brad Pitt’s Sonny Sonny is portrayed as calm, guarded, and direct—an “old school” racer mentality. The reviewer compares Pitt’s vibe to a blend of Bullet Train, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and even “a Cliff Booth moment.” Sonny is praised as compelling and emotionally grounded, though the reviewer notes he can feel somewhat one-note due to how controlled he is.

• Damson Idris’s JP JP starts out cocky and self-absorbed, but the review highlights his transformation into someone who understands what a team actually means. The arc is described as familiar (rookie setback → reexamine motives), but Idris makes it feel fresh through personality and charisma.

Supporting cast that adds tension and heart

The review names a large ensemble and highlights standout contributions:

• Javier Bardem brings a mix of anger, regret, and empathy—tough and exasperated, but still caring.
• Kerry Condon earns praise for sharp snark plus intelligence, balancing brutality with compassion. The reviewer enjoys her chemistry with Pitt, but specifically criticizes the film’s romantic entanglement, arguing it ultimately weakens her character’s strength.

Tone: Racing vs. Human Drama

The reviewer returns to a central critique: while there is character work, the race footage overwhelms the emotion. There are lots of cars circling fast for long stretches, which makes the film less engaging for viewers who aren’t truly into F1 visuals.

Jokes / Presentation Notes

• The review opens with playful nitpicks (“F1 The Movie… just sounds weird, right?”) and later includes a chuckle while listing the supporting cast.
• The reviewer also uses quick comparisons to other racing films (Ford v Ferrari, Rush, Gran Turismo) to explain why they connected more with those than with F1 The Movie.

Verdict

Overall, the reviewer describes it as thrilling, immersive, and heartfelt, but not universally enjoyable.

• Peak: the cinematography and racing spectacle—“terrifying and exhilarating” speed visuals.
• Weakness: the story feels generic and repeatedly familiar.
• Who it’s for: especially rewarding for racing fans; for non-car fans, it may feel like a prolonged blur of action rather than distinct character-driven storytelling.

Rating

• 4 out of 5 (“couches”)

Content Notes

• No sex/nudity
• Profanity
• Some violence

Characters Mentioned

• Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt)
• Joshua “JP” Pearce (Damson Idris)
• Ruben (Sonny’s former teammate; actor not specified in the subtitles)
• Alonso / Alonso-related team personnel (not named in the subtitles, implied through ensemble roles)

Ensemble standouts

• Javier Bardem
• Kerry Condon
• (Other listed ensemble members: Kim Bodnia, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, Abdul Salis, Will Merrick, Joseph Balderrama, Samson Kayo, Callie Cooke)