March Blind Spot Review: Rush (2013)

“The closer you are to death, the more alive you feel. It’s a wonderful way to live. It’s the only way to drive.”
– James Hunt

SYNOPSIS: The merciless 1970s rivalry between Formula One rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda. – via IMDB

So I finally got to Rush, which is strange seeing as I was such a huge F1 junkie in my teens. Anyway, finally getting to it I can see why it is considered to be a solid film for the genre, and I didn’t even watch this one for science because nobody appeals to me on that level. I watched this for the story and for those cars and those racetracks. YES. Rush was incredibly well executed. When it opened with roaring F1 engines and rain and stoplights and all I knew I was sold – goosebumps! Simple as that. The performances from both Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl were fantastic. Brühl dominated in how he presented Lauda to us. He was difficult, cheeky, dedicated and intelligent. In fact, he was damn near a genius. He knew what he wanted and he went out for it. I loved how he reasoned about things (the twenty percent risk thing) and how he didn’t care too much if he was liked or not, as long as he was respected. I liked him from the off because he was upfront and blunt and honest about who he was, he hid behind nothing. I was impressed with what he brought to the table. I have never disliked him, I have always found him a decent actor, but this showcases that he can carry a lead role without any issues and was captivating every second he was on screen. I am hoping to see much more of him. Hemsworth, on the other hand, portrayed the party boy exceptionally well. He went from fun and games to a total twat within an hour (which could be seen coming), but he redeemed himself, too.  I thought the more dramatic role was more impressive for him than most things I have seen him in, showing that he is more than just the man that half the globe wants to bed. Hemsworth and Brühl worked wonders alongside one another, and complemented each other every step of the way. I had myself a personal cheering moment when Hunt gave that paparazzi reporter/douche a fat smack because seriously, who do you think you are asking someone if his wife will stick around because half his face was burnt off? It seems this film appealed to a wider audience than I would have expected, and I had a good time with it. Rush was shot beautifully, and it looked really fancy. I liked the focus on the racing and the driving, and yet it was perfectly balanced by what was happening off the track. It was never solely about the guys and never solely about the cars. There were quite a few scenes where I had myself a good laugh (most notably that break down in the middle of nowhere with Lauda and Marlene), and I loved the way the racing was done – the scenes were exhilarating. The competition between Lauda and Hunt was blown totally out of proportion, and I thought it was petty and childish at the same time, and it cost them both a lot, but it also shaped them. I am sure a lot of this was dramatised and glamourised for the screen, but I found it to be a worthwhile watch. I know I have spoken a lot about the performances, but I really think they are the biggest selling points of the film, in all honesty.