Hansal Mehta reviews Brad Pitt’s F1: Calls it ‘same drug, different packaging’ that wasted Javier Bardem | Bollywood-OxBig News Network

Hansal Mehta reviews Brad Pitt’s F1

Hansal said that even though F1 has “familiar screenwriting” but it works “in parts”. He said, “My thoughts on F1. F1 applies every familiar screenwriting trope from the underdog sportsperson playbook: the tormented past, the fractured team, the old-vs-young dynamic, and the predictable trajectory from rock bottom to redemption. You can almost hear the structure ticking away beneath the surface.”

Hansal talks about what works in F1

“And yet, despite all that, it works – at least in parts. The racing sequences are thrillingly constructed, shot with the kind of kinetic precision that makes you forget the cliché for a while. The film treats its beautifully ageing lead with near-reverence and rightly so. There’s something moving about watching a star who knows how to carry silence and wear fatigue with grace,” he added.

Hansal says F1 didn’t do justice to Javier Bardem’s character

Hansal also said that the film has “same drug, different packaging”. “What definitely doesn’t work is the treatment of its supporting cast. Take Javier Bardem—an actor capable of thunder—and reduce him to one of the laziest character sketches in recent memory. A waste really. And yet, for all its worn-out tropes and narrative shortcuts F1 had the audience glued for most part, willingly swept up in the spectacle. Somehow the clichés didn’t matter. The crowd wanted the hit and the film delivered. Same drug, different packaging but the high still lands,” he added.

About F1

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film tells the story of Sonny Hayes, a veteran Formula One driver played by Brad, who makes a comeback to the sport after a 30-year hiatus. A talented and promising driver, a severe accident ended his career. In the film, Brad’s character, Sonny, is brought back into the world of Formula One by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (played by Javier Bardem), who now owns a struggling F1 team.

As Sonny attempts to help the team make a comeback, he faces challenges both on and off the track, including reconciling with his past. F1 also stars Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, and others.