F1
Brad Pitt's thrilling racing spectacle delivers pure popcorn entertainment, with a few bumps along the way.
PRE GAME 🍿
Welcome back to Balls on Film! 👋🏻
I hope that all of you are well into your Christmas planning, if you celebrate this time of year. I’ve been eating a rather unhealthy quantity of Christmas chocolate and mince pies over the last couple of weeks, and zoning out in front of some cheesy festive movies - more on that later! For the first time ever, we’re going on vacation over Christmas - and while the thought of a warm Christmas feels a bit weird, I’m actually looking forward to a bit of a break from the usual madness and stress that comes with it all. This will be the last edition of Balls on Film until the new year, but I’ll see you all in 2026 for more sports movie discussion.
With that, it’s just about race time!
A racing blockbuster isn’t usually the kind of movie I’d choose to end the year on, but since F1 comes to Apple TV today, it seemed like the perfect pick for this week’s review. I did see it in the cinema when it was released, which was during a pretty stressful time - and while I loved it then, I thought it would also be good to revisit it now that life is a bit less hectic.
FIRST HALF 🏎️
It’s clear from the start that F1 doesn’t attempt to replicate the experience of watching a race. The goal here is to replicate what made Top Gun: Maverick so exciting, but with racing. It’s more blockbuster cinema rather than broadcast sport, which might not appeal to all hardcore fans, but the result is a truly high-octane spectacle that made me care more about F1 than I ever thought I would, as someone with limited interest and knowledge when it comes to the sport. Joseph Kosinski delivers a relentless cinema experience that transforms the sport into something frantic and truly exciting to just about anyone. I’ve seen some complaints from some F1 fans that some of the film is far too unrealistic, but this is a movie that’s made to be felt rather than analysed. Probably another reason it worked so well on the cinema screen.
The story follows Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a once-legendary Formula 1 driver who is coaxed out of retirement to help rescue a struggling team that’s on the brink of collapse. He’s paired with the super-talented but volatile younger teammate Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), and as the movie unfolds we follow the internal rivalry between the two, the team’s battle for success and Hayes’ own battle with trying to prove that he still belongs at the highest level along with the young upstart.
Kosinski’s fingerprints are all over this, and I mean that in the most positive way. If you loved the intense flying sequences in Top Gun: Maverick, you’ll feel an instant familiarity here. There’s a similar camera placement that frequently locks us inside the car in the same way that it placed us in the cockpit in Maverick, and together with a spectacular and very intense sound design, it makes every race feel truly important. The races are staged almost like life and death gladiator-style battles, and even though this is a movie that worked better on the big screen, I found myself unable to look away even on re-watch.
Brad Pitt brings a performance that’s more restrained and nuanced than I was expecting. He brings that usual movie-star gravity and swagger that you’ve come to expect, but plays the veteran driver with a real weariness and balances that swagger with a sense of someone who is aware that time is no longer on his side. Damson’s character, and the battle between the two drivers very much adds to this. The relationship between the two is sports movie formula 101, but it’s both of their performances that elevate it. There’s a real sense of vulnerability that keeps Hayes grounded amidst the film’s glossy sheen and high-intensity race scenes.
The supporting are all on form too. As mentioned, Damson Idris is a great counterpart to Pitt, and he plays the role of Pearce with a cocky and slightly angry energy - but keeps it very nuanced and never lets the character feel like a cartoon Hollywood blockbuster bad guy. The relationship between the two also takes enough twists and turns to always keep it interesting too, even though you’ve seen a lot of the beats before. Javier Bardem also brings some nice depth to the team owner character, that could have easily felt like a bit of an afterthought. He’s really likeable here, and you really feel the pressure that he’s under trying to save his struggling team. It’s nice to see the film examine F1 not just on the race track, but the whole ecosystem of team politics and the business behind it all too - albeit in a very dramatised and streamlined way.
All of that said, the movie is not without its mis-steps, the most obvious being the handling of Kerry Condon’s character, Kate McKenna. Condon herself is great, but the script just sort of sidelines her into the role of the emotional support and love interest. McKenna is the brains behind the scenes at the team, and the one who is at the helm of innovation and expertise, and ultimately reducing her character somewhat just feels a bit wasteful.
There are also moments where the storytelling leans too heavily on, erm…formula. The beats are recognisable for the most part, and you can sort of see where the characters are heading pretty early on - but the sheer spectacle of it all makes up for this. This is a big budget crowd-pleaser and it knows it. While some of the technical aspects of how the sport is presented might frustrate some faithful fans, there’s a ton of stuff in here for newbies and long-term fans alike including some great cameos and fan service that add to the immersion of it all.
Speaking of immersion, if you watch any kind of live sports at all, you’ll no doubt have noticed the sheet amount of ads and sponsorships that fill the screen at what feels like every few minutes. Well, this movie is no different - I genuinely felt like I saw the Heineken beer logo in every other shot watching this. I’m curious to know if you guys noticed it too.
A few shortcomings don’t spoil what F1 ultimately achieves - big budget, blockbuster cinema that’s technically dazzling and just stupidly entertaining. This was one of the most fun cinema experiences of 2025, and while it’s best experienced on the biggest screen possible, it still holds up at home. It might opt for exhilaration over true realism at points, but there’s more than enough here to please both fans and casual viewers alike. I’m not surprised that there’s already talk of a sequel.
F1 is available to stream on Apple TV.
HALFTIME 🏁
Let’s take a break for halftime.
Here’s what else I’ve been watching and enjoying this week:
THE GOLDEN SPURTLE
If you’d told me a few years ago that in 2025, I’d be putting a documentary about porridge at the top of my end of year film lists, I’d have given you an odd look, but here we are. I caught The Golden Spurtle during a very limited cinema run earlier this year, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. It follows the world porridge championship held every year in Scotland, and people from all over the world who travel to take part. It’s cozy and incredibly heartwarming and will leave you feeling hungry, and wanting to reach for the oats right away.
Available to buy/rent on most digital platforms.
MY SECRET SANTA
At some point, an executive at Netflix pitched the idea: ‘Mrs Doubtfire, but make it Hallmark Christmas’. That’s what My Secret Santa is. It’s cheesy, festive fluff that will simultaneously make you laugh and roll your eyes - but more often than not it’s just the right kind of trash that I want to consume at this time of year.
Streaming on Netflix.
Let’s get back to the race!
SECOND HALF 🏎️
Let’s jump into some awards and bonus content.
BEST SCENE 🏆
It’s got to be the final race. It’s thrilling stuff. You know the movie is building to a spectacular final sequence, and it delivers.
IMDB TRIVIA HIGHLIGHT 🏆
Per iMDb:
According to an interview with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, it took a year to convince both the FIA (organizer of the F1 races) and the 10 teams to allow the production to film the F1 teams and drivers on the tracks during race weekends. A concern of the Red Bull team was that they would be depicted as the villain given that the Mercedes team built the car for the movie and then Mercedes driver Hamilton was added as a producer on the movie. Bruckheimer promised that neither the FIA or any of the teams would be portrayed in a bad light.
BEST LETTERBOXD REVIEW 🏆
Shared universe confirmed?
BONUS FEATURES 💿
Here’s the cast in a roundtable discussion on making the movie:
And here is a quick behind-the-scenes feature from Apple:
Finally, here’s an interesting tidbit from MKBHD regarding sponsorships in the movie:
POST-GAME 🍿
Thanks for joining me this week.
As I mentioned in the pre-game, Balls on Film will return in the new year. I’m closing my laptop for a much needed break and refresh, and I’ll be back soon to talk sports movies with you all again.
I just want to once again extend my true thanks and appreciation for all of your kind messages and wonderful support during what has been a very difficult year. Getting back to weekly sports movies has gone a long way to making life feel normal again, and I can’t wait to do more of it.
As always, let me know what you thought of F1 and whatever else you’ve been watching.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
~James
I really enjoyed F1 too and completely agree with the woefully underwritten Kerry Condon character. It so reminded me of those 1950s big Hollywood films, it had all the feels.
Also, I saw The Golden Spurtle at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and was sat next to some of the people featured in the documentary who were so excited to be there - another feelgood film!
thank you, James -- it's good to have you back, and I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!!