Biographies if well made can be an absolute treat. A biography on sport star(s) sounds even better and if that sport is Formula 1, well that’s an icing on the cake, especially for lovers of the sport. Ron Howard’s Rush fits this bill. It’s so wonderfully crafted and portrayed that sometimes you forget you are watching a movie. It seems like an actual race. That’s how beautiful this move is!
Rush is about the fierce rivalry between two accomplished racing car drivers, the British James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and the Austrian Nikki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) during the early 70s and which culminated in their battle for the 1976 World Championship. The film starts in media res on August 1, 1976 when Niki confesses that he “was chasing him (Hunt) like an asshole”.
Hunt was arrogant, cocky and confident, a man who lived fast and died young. He was flamboyant, impulsive and believed in living life king-size. Lauda on the other hand was much calmer. He was technically brilliant, planned things as opposed to acting rashly and maintained a professional lifestyle. He had a right mix of shrewdness and intelligence.
The two of them had so much in contrast yet they complemented each other. Both had an overriding fervor to defeat the other. This outlines the value of an enemy or rival, who sometimes give more meaning to your life than friends do. And in their case, apart from being such fierce competitors, the two had a healthy respect for each other. The movie had two apt dialogues, both by Niki Lauda, that reiterate this point:
“A wise man can learn more from his enemies than a fool from his friends.”
“People always think of us as rivals but he was among the very few I liked and even fewer that I respected. He remains the only person I envied.”
Both the actors delivered a knockout performance. Hemsworth gave a matured performance and almost nailed his role of James Hunt. But Bruhl somehow stole the show. At the beginning, Lauda’s character is absolutely pale in comparison to the charismatic Hunt. But as the movie progresses, he not only matches up to Hunt but also overtakes him. Bruhl brings the character of Niki to life. Watch out for his sharp dialogue delivery that’s been rendered with such remarkable precision!
Howard took some liberties and modified few elements. Since this movie is not a documentary Ron could afford to make these changes but none of these seem exaggerated or fabricated. The scene where Hunt beats up a reporter is invented but this is one of my favourite scenes. It gels perfectly well with the flow and doesn’t seem like something that’s added just to up the drama quotient. This, as per me, is the mark of a good director.
The race sequences are undoubtedly exhilarating and a lot of credit for this goes to the awesome camera work and fine sound. The cinematography is wonderful. There are various camera angles that not only add an element of thrilling intensity but also provide us with a wholesome experience. The sound editing is remarkable. Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack is a powerful entity in itself that can any day lift a film and here it adds the much required tension and thrill. (I can’t get over the Lost But Won track). His music along with the roaring sound of the engines pep you up and give you a great adrenaline rush. Rush also has some amazing dialogues that will be quoted and recalled time and again.
Kudos to Ron Howard and the entire crew for coming up with such a technically sound film. Even someone who isn’t a F1 fan would be hooked to the intense action and story. Rush is one hell of a ride and lives up to its title to give one a high adrenaline RUSH! It is one of my favourite films of 2013.
Rating: 8.8/10
