Rush - 3 smiles

“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