“Rush,” directed by Ron Howard, is an entertaining way to
spend two hours. Formula One fans who remember 1976 will no doubt thoroughly
enjoy this movie about the competition between James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and
Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl), who went head-to-head for the championship.
Technically, “Rush” is a sports movie in that it’s about competitors struggling
against one another to win. However, Howard and screenwriter Peter Morgan take
a different approach. The story is balanced between Hunt and Lauda, with Hunt
depicted as a superficial, preening, self-obsessed party boy and Lauda as a
stuffy, unpleasant misanthrope. Hence, we become invested in both men’s lives
and the winning of the championship becomes secondary. Lauda’s accident, which
is foreshadowed in the opening scene, is a defining moment of their
relationship. He is goaded into participating in a dangerous race because he
can’t bear to lose face in front of Hunt and other drivers. Then, as he’s
recovering, Hunt’s successes during his absence become his motivation to
return.
Howard’s production values are top notch. The racing
sequences are expertly filmed and there’s plenty of tension in the various
contests, especially during the rainy finale in Japan. “Rush” features no A-list
stars although Chris Hemsworth is close. He’s very good here, exhibiting
personality and range when freed from the constraints of a comic book Norse
god. Olivia Wilde is another recognizable name, but all she’s allowed to do is
look beautiful. Daniel Bruhl gives the best performance, melding righteous
indignation, arrogance and an asocial personality. In addition, Howard clearly
demonstrates that winning Formula One drivers must be obsessively driven because
why else would they willingly encase themselves in a potential fireball? Although
“Rush” isn’t a particularly deep film, it’s an affecting film and a good lesson
in sports history. 9/28/13