Ford v. Ferrari Story: Based on a true story, two ambitious men – American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and British-born driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), take on the race cars of Ferrari by building their own.

Ford v. Ferrari Review: Ford Motor Company is struggling with sales in 1963 because they can’t seem to connect with the younger market. To boost their image, Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) proposes a bold marketing strategy – to win one of the most prestigious car races in the world – 24 Hours of Le Mans. This poses a unique challenge; the Ferrari racing team has dominated the sport for four straight years, and Ford doesn’t have a race car to beat them. Caroll Shelby (Matt Damon), a car engineer and designer envisions what they need to win the coveted ego boost. But Shelby knows that a finely tuned automobile is worthless without a skilled driver. Enter the feisty but formidable Ken Miles (Christian Bale), whose unpredictable temperament is only matched by his expertise behind the wheel.

While the plot is built on the automotive battle between two corporations, director James Mangold narrows it down to two people who were the natural driving forces. Both Caroll Shelby and Ken Miles were strong personalities; Matt Damon and Christian Bale understand this and use it to fuel the dynamic between their respective characters. Christian Bale works his magic yet again playing Miles – a volatile underdog that Ford doesn’t want on their team. Miles is at the heart of the film, and Bale is mesmerising to watch. Matt Damon is far more nuanced as Caroll Shelby, though he gets ample ‘big moments’ and makes the most of it. The combination is exhilarating; you can’t help rooting for the two when they’re on screen, even when there are no cars involved.

Speaking of which, James Mangold directs the racing sequences to convey not just the frenetic energy, but also to further the character arcs. Besides the two leads, the supporting cast contributes to the proceedings. Jon Bernthal is solid, and so is Caitriona Balfe as Mollie Miles, but the relationship between Miles and his son Peter, played by Noah Jupe, proves to be heartwarming as well. This pushes the pedal on the screenplay, keeping it thrilling and, surprisingly funny enough to ensure there’s not a dull moment in two and a half hours. Motorheads and racing fans are guaranteed to love ‘Ford v Ferrari’, but even the casual moviegoer will get a kick out of it.

-Neil Soans , TOI