Hollywood stars and fast cars drew large crowds at the box office on Nov. 14. In the fact-based story of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the Ford Motor Company decided to change their image by entering their cars in the race previously dominated by Ferrari.
The movie has a lot of racing excitement and holds the attention of non-car lovers alike. The heart of the drama is the friendship and loyalty of the two main characters, drivers Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles played by Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Their strong acting abilities and charming personalities have you rooting for these men every step of the way. The events that unfold are driven by the egos of corporate executives and the politics that come into play at Ford Motor Company, Ferrari and Fiat. Many intricate scenes allowed the viewer to understand the nuances beneath the corporate culture, which I enjoyed and appreciated.
The movie was both interesting and intriguing, as I was on the edge of my seat the entire time waiting eagerly for every next detail. While the movie was two hours and 30 minutes long, the audience was held captive through each and every scene. I was waiting every second to find out what was going to happen next, as I could not anticipate the upcoming scenes.
Going to the movies on a Sunday afternoon can be a solo experience, but instead it was hard to find an empty seat. The wide variety of demographics, from 10 year old boys to 70 year old women sat in the theatre elbow to elbow. This movie was able to include something suitable and captivating for every audience member that attended.
I did not believe that I would enjoy this movie as much as I did. Through the intricate car designs, amiable characters, heartwarming plot and witty dialogue, it was a movie that I wouldn’t mind watching for a second time.
I highly recommend this movie for anyone that is interested in cars, racing history, or just learning more about true historic events. I rate this movie an eight out of 10 stars based on plot, actors and audience.