Ferrari effectively defies expectations
Michael Mann's Ferrari is not what I expected, which is a good thing. Instead of a film devoted to numerous auto races and by-a-nose-checkered-flag finishes, this is more of a character study regarding the company's namesake. Brought to vivid and poignant life by Adam Driver, this period piece looks at a very brief passage of the titular character's life, one rife with trauma and drama as well as failure and redemption. That it doesn't play like a typical biopic is a tribute to the grounded performances from the veteran cast and the well-rounded script from Troy Kennedy Martin.
The time is 1957, and Enzo Ferrari's world is spinning wildly out of control. The company he and his wife, Laura (Penelope Cruz), founded a decade earlier is floundering, thanks to low sales and high overhead, while his marriage is crumbling about him. The union has been irrevocably fractured with the recent death of their son, Dino. Unbeknownst to Laura, Ferrari has found solace with Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley), a much younger woman he's set up house with where they can raise their son, Piero. Meeting the needs of these two homes wears on Ferrari.
Things reach a crisis point when Ferrari is informed by his accountant that he either needs to sell more cars or take on a partner. The latter doesn't appeal to him, so he plans to increase production of his autos. However, the only way to stoke interest in his product is to show what they can do and winning as many races as possible during the summer months becomes the priority.
The personal drama is so compelling we long for the mercurial showdowns between Ferrari and his wife, as well as the more quiet, contemplative moments which Driver is more than capable of holding the centers to. While the automaker was required to put forth an icy front during the age of machismo in which he lived, the key to the film lies in exposing his vulnerable, human side. Driver takes a subtle approach in conveying Ferrari's internal pain and worry, showing us a man in great pain who is accustomed to knowing how to progress but is suddenly unsure of how to move on. An early moment in which he visits his son's tomb is heartbreaking, primarily because we see this symbol of strength suffering as he does.
While Ferrari may not rank with the best films of 2023, it proves to be a cut above the recent biopics that have been foisted upon us. Along with BlackBerry and Oppenheimer, it reminds us of the necessity of examining those in the spotlight and recognizing their flaws and the common humanity we all share. In theaters.
Grief a tiresome slog
Certainly, there is no lack of sincerity in Dan Levy's Good Grief, a well-meaning examination of one man's attempt to come to grips with the sudden death of his husband. All seems right in the world of Marc and Oliver (Levy and Luke Evans). Long-time marrieds, they are living the life many of us dream of. Oliver is the author of a series of Harry Potter-like books, for which Marc provides the illustrations. Having more money and friends than they know what to do with, while enjoying professional success, the couple are seemingly living a life of wedded bliss.
However, all is not as it seems. When Oliver is tragically killed in a Christmas Eve car accident, Marc's world is shattered. Reeling, he looks to his close friends Thomas (Hamesh Patel) and Sophie (Ruth Negga), for support, which they willingly supply. Yet, just when Marc seems to be on the road to recovery, he makes a startling discovery. Seems Oliver was the owner of a Paris apartment, and it soon becomes obvious he was sharing it with someone other than his husband. In a fit of pique, he takes Thomas and Sophie with him to the City of Lights to check out the previously unknown digs and frivolously spend some of his ex's money. A good plan on paper, it jumps the rails when Oliver's lover, Luca (Mehdi Baki), shows up and crashes their party.
The film feels much longer than it is, the many – and I mean MANY – introspective conversations that occur meander and go on far too long. If you've ever been in a conversation with a friend and wind up feigning concern while wondering if their rambling will ever end, then you get a sense of what sitting through this film is like.
Not helping matters is the unappealing nature of the characters. Thomas constantly laments his inability to find a suitable partner, subtly pining for Marc, who he once dated. Meanwhile, Sophie is a self-indulgent mess, wallowing in her self-destructive behavior and basking in the attention it brings her. Both prove insufferable, their company a trial for the viewer once the first act draws to a close.
A product of the Victimhood Culture, the film is an exercise in self-pity, one in which we are tirelessly bludgeoned with the troubles of its characters until we feel compelled to give them our attention, whether they deserve it or not. Like those loved ones we feel obligated to listen to and care for, sitting through Grief proves to be a one-sided affair that leaves you drained and wondering just why you put up with it. Streaming on Netflix.
Snow a stark, moving story of survival
It would be easy for a film that has cannibalism as a core element of its narrative to lean into the sensationalist aspect of the story. Director J.A. Boyana has greater concerns with his gripping and moving new film, Society of the Snow, another account of the infamous story of the October 1972 plane crash in the Andes involving a Uruguayan rugby team. Known as the "Miracle in the Andes", 16 of 45 passengers survived a 72-day ordeal that pushed them all not only to their physical limits but forced them to reevaluate their morality. The rescue of the lucky few who survived was international news, their endurance and tenacity capturing the imagination of the world. Only later when it was revealed how they lived through the harsh conditions that should have killed them all, did the public's perception of them and their ordeal change.
Once the initial introductions of the myriad passengers take place, Boyana wastes little time plunging the viewer into the nightmare they endured. The plane crash is meticulously and graphically rendered, nothing spared in underscoring the violence of the event or the aftermath. Limbs being snapped, passengers being crushed, and other horrific sights are rendered in a jarring, quick, graphic manner that never feels gratuitous. The intention is to shock the viewer and help replicate the sense of horror and desperation the initial survivors had to contend with. It's visceral filmmaking with a distinct purpose.
As the ordeal plays out, key characters instrumental in the survival of the final 16 emerge. Marcelo (Diego Vegezzi) is a medical student who's able to approach the situation in a rational way, orchestrating the care of the severely wounded and formulating a plan to set up camp. Numa (Enzo Vogrincic) is the stand-in for those having a crisis of conscience once the decision is made to consume those who have died.
The faith-based justification some employ to commit this act is fascinating. Nando and Roberto (Augustin Pardella and Matias Recalt) prove to be the groups' saviors. Determined, focused, and able to see beyond their predicament, their tenacity is remarkable, their actions presented not simply as those of heroes but the personification of the basic survival instinct in all of us. There are many hooks to the film, the obvious being that we can't help but ask ourselves what we would do if we were in this situation. No judgement is passed here, the sensational aspects of the story handled with as much subtlety and taste as possible. In the end, Society proves inspirational, a powerful tale not just of survival but a stark reminder of the precious nature of our lives and the lengths we might go to preserve it. Streaming on Netflix.
