By Amanda Ack, Film Critic
While Ron Howard is certainly a consistently excellent filmmaker, he’s hardly what one would call an auteur. While he has skill and talent behind the camera, he lacks a defining style that gives his work a distinct feel.
With Rush, he might have just found his niche. A tight, intimate movie that feels more like an indie film than the big-budget feature it really is, it works on a small scale to deliver maximum emotional impact.
Set in the 1970s, the film is based on the true story of Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) and James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth), two Formula 1 racing stars whose rivalry was as ferocious as it was sensational. The plot follows the two drivers on and off the track, delving into their differences in racing style, lifestyle and coming to a thrilling climax during the 1976 racing season that defined their careers.
What makes Rush different from a typical sports movie is its microscopic feel. Howard keeps the camera dangerously close to both the actors and the action, making us feel like we’re watching the whole thing from the cockpit of a racecar. The effect is intensely personal and exhilarating.
Much of the film’s success can also be attributed to Bruhl and Hemsworth, who are vastly different but equally compelling. Bruhl plays the brusque, calculating Lauda with an enthralling air of restrained energy, as if he’s always seconds away from exploding. Hemsworth plays reckless playboy Hunt with both buoyant charm and dangerous intensity, creating a character with perhaps a bit more depth than required by the screenplay.
Peter Morgan’s screenplay is really the only thing about the movie that needs improvement, particularly in terms of character development. The drivers’ wives, played by Olivia Wilde and Alexandra Maria Lara, are given precious little to do. It’s a testament to the actresses’ abilities that they don’t feel like complete afterthoughts.
Aside from that minor quibble, though, Rush is a major achievement.
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