Movie Review: Rush (2013)

Rush (2013)

Exclusive Media Group, Cross Creek Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Revolution Films, Working Title Films, Double Negative  UK, Germany, USA, 2013.

Based on true events.

In the 1970s racing was a modern gladiator sport with numerous casualties. James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is a British playboy racer who likes sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) is his complete opposite, a pedantic Austrian who likes to keep things in control. Both of them are rebels and furious behind the wheel. Both of them enter the Formula One class in their own style and they become bitter rivals.

James Hunt

Niki Lauda

Meeting his future wife Marlene (Alexandra Maria Lara) makes Niki a bit more relaxed. Hunt is stressed because he must find new team and sponsors. The 1976 season is bloody battle between the two. Hunt's broken marriage with Suzy Miller (Olivia Wilde) makes him a dangerous opponent to Lauda. Niki suffers severe burns in near fatal accident in notoriously dangerous Nürburgring. Despite his injuries the will to win pulls him back to the racing tracks. Although they are rivals there grows a mutual respect between Lauda and Hunt.

Marlene

Suzy Miller

Niki after the accident

This is an epic and emotional sports drama with rivalry and chivalry. Interestingly the story contrasts the Hunt as a near suicidal risk-taker who lives every day like his last and knows that he may die in a crash while Lauda considers the worth of the risks even more when he has gained something more important than the victory to lose. Both of the main actors make perfect roles, Hemsworth uses his impish charm and Brühl shows some dry humour.

Possibly this is the best film made about Formula One- racing. Watch it even if you are not interested in racing.

Rating: Excellent

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, Pierfrancesco Favino, David Calder, Natalie Dormer, Stephen Mangan, Christian McKay, Alistair Petrie, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Colin Stinton, Jamie de Courcey, Augusto Dallara, Ilario Calvo, Patrick Baladi, Vincent Riotta, Martin Savage, Jamie Sives, Simon Taylor, Robert Christopher Austin, Tom Wlaschiha, Cristian Solimeno, James Norton, Joséphine de La Baume, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Julien Vialon, Douglas Reith, Polly Furnival, Brooke Johnston, Hannah Britland, Lisa McAllister, Hans-Eckart Eckhardt, Vanessa Zachos, Xavier Laurent, Val Jobara, Zack Niizato, Akira Koieyama, Klaus D. Mund, Folker Banik, Andreas Engelmann, Jochen Kolenda, Christopher Wolert, Roger Nevares, Vanda Dadras, Raffaello Degruttola, Luca Zizzari, Alastair Caldwell, Alan Bayer, Joe Ferrara, Bob Constanduros, Christian Feist, Marco Canadea, Eiji Mihara, Demetri Goritsas, Jay Simpson, Philippe Spall, Erich Redman, Marcello Walton, Masashi Fujimoto, Rob Cavazos, Paolo Barone, Francesco Fronte, Morris Minelli, Luca Naddeo, Marco Napoli, Christian Stelluti, Scott Hopkins, Matthew Watkinson, Anthony Wolfe, Jeremy Wolfe, Mark Postgate 

Director: Ron Howard