Did you know Michael Mann, the director of Heat, made a movie last year? He did! It’s called Ferrari, and it’s a biopic on the infamous automaker and racer Enzo Ferrari, with Adam Driver in the starring role.
If you didn’t know, don’t be too hard on yourself. This Mann movie is not some sort of movie event; instead, it’s just a good-looking but drab exercise.
Mann’s movies tend to breathe a bit and take their time, but this is an instance where a two-hour movie feels like three. That’s probably because the character of Enzo Ferrari, despite Driver’s best efforts, is kind of a dick you really don’t care about. He’s just not somebody you want to spend a whole lot of time observing.
That said, there are a few reasons to watch the movie. It is extremely well-shot, especially during the primitive car-racing scenes—and Penelope Cruz is very good as Ferrari’s tortured wife.
Driver is one of the best actors on the planet, and he’s not bad here. He’s just led astray by a script that is too dour given the subject matter. Some heavy shit does happen in this movie (especially in the final act), but it’s still surprising how much of a bummer the whole movie is.
In the end, the film is just too flat and lacks a certain depth; it’s mostly just an exercise in style rather than genuine storytelling.
Mann’s quirks can often propel worthwhile movies, but they can also inspire naps. This one is the latter case.
