Cinematic Reflections of Aging Masculinity
Joseph Kosinski’s upcoming racing film F1 undeniably functions as a compelling thematic companion to his immensely successful 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick. Both projects intelligently decided to have the iconic men from the previous generation – Brad Pitt in F1, Tom Cruise in Maverick – who take the principal roles and are inserted into narratives intentionally created to illustrate a particular, slightly nostalgic male idea.
This character overloads the whole narrated stories with manly virtues like robustness, self-confidence, and a really unique, somehow cloistered, almost pure presence. By being cherished predominantly as young stars in the present time, both Pitt and Cruise were delivering senior roles within the mainstream cinema community. They show themselves in these characters as if they are actively pursuing the goal, not to mention, they totally own it, thus appearing as the real energy and skill source in the future
The Evolution into Iconic Figures
Moreover, what is noteworthy about these characters is that they guide younger ones without taking the place of a father, exude sexual attractiveness without being sexually explicit, and demonstrate fierce, steel-like resolve in the absence of any kind of complicated personal ideology. The main gist of it is, Pitt, as well as Cruise, are more than just actors. They are the pillars in the movie industry today. They resemble glittering, somewhat distant demigods dominating the modern multiplex experience. Consequently, their personal charisma, established personas, and notable willingness to perform daring physical feats (especially true for Cruise) carry substantially more weight in these productions than nuanced character development or dramatic depth.
Pitt’s Demonstrated Acting Versatility
However, it is paramount to recognize Brad Pitt’s amazing acting skills, which have been proven in cases where he is given a character that needs a power-packed performance. The audience may easily remember his very frightening, Academy Award-nominated portrayal of mental patient Jeffrey Goines in Terry Gilliam’s 12 Monkeys. Furthermore, his performance of the washed-out and aging silent movie actor, whose name is Jack Conrad, in Damien Chazelle’s Babylon demonstrated clearly the depth of his acting talents. His attractive, relaxed character as Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was more a progression of his natural charisma than a dramatic shift but it still won him the first Oscar for acting in 2019.
Crafting the F1 Persona
For F1, however, Pitt (who also serves as a producer) specifically collaborated with director Joseph Kosinski and screenwriter Ehren Kruger to meticulously shape his character, Sonny Hayes. Reports indicate Pitt actively requested the character be portrayed as maximally virile, authoritative, and physically capable – embodying peak middle-aged prowess. This desired capability is predominantly visualized through Sonny Hayes’ masterful command of powerful, phallic machinery: high-performance race cars.
Much like Maverick defined himself through fighter jets, Sonny defines himself through roaring supercars with massive tires. Additionally, Pitt seemingly advocated for the surrounding characters within the film’s narrative to regard Sonny with a potent mixture of deep admiration, near-reverence, and palpable physical attraction – essentially treating him as a combined sage and lust object. Every action Sonny takes and every word he utters is framed as inherently correct and worthy of emulation.
The Final Product’s Reception
Consequently, while this specific characterization approach effectively reinforces the intended masculine ideal, the resulting portrayal isn’t always engaging or dynamic for the viewer. The character’s near-perfect, unimpeachable status can sometimes feel static. Thankfully, the film reportedly compensates partially through genuinely thrilling, well-executed racing sequences. These high-octane moments provide kinetic excitement and visual spectacle, offering dynamic counterpoints to the otherwise meticulously controlled central performance and character study.
Problematic White Guy Celebration
Furthermore, “F1” might also function as a thematic companion piece to Brad Pitt’s earlier film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Critically, both movies actively celebrate the perceived importance and inherent greatness of seemingly ordinary middle-aged white male characters. Moreover, both projects engage in near-deification of Pitt himself, positioning him as nothing less than a savior figure – the final living representative of an older era that the filmmakers clearly romanticize as vastly superior to the modern world. This shared perspective creates a noticeable link between the two stories beyond their leading actor.
Exhausting Length Issues
Nevertheless, “F1” bears a major structural disadvantage in relation to the thematic sibling; it is, indeed, very long and thus tiring to watch. The duration of the film becomes a real problem for the audience because it makes scenes and narrative beats more than they actually are. This never-stopping acceleration of the film is a sort of barrier to the enjoyment and spectacle available in the series of car racing events and individual character scenes, which are partly affected by the very long runtime.
Underwritten Female Character
Also, the part of the movie written by Ehren Kruger focuses on the female character, which goes wrong in the sense that she is not at all well-established with her identity, personal goals, or her actual purpose within the narrative in any meaningful way. She just stands in front of Brad Pitt’s face in all of the scenes, which gives a degrading characterization that is foolish and lets her do nothing about it. The role is played by Kerry Condon, a talented actress, and despite her good acting, Kruger’s poorly written character with its inconsistencies, was an unsolvable problem for her and therefore made no way for her to develop a compelling and interesting character.
Sonny Hayes’ Contradictory Backstory
Brad Pitt’s character, Sonny Hayes, was a dominant figure in the racing field. A very talented driver in Formula racing, he did not lack what it took to reach the top, but was sidelined by a fatal accident. Today, he still lives in a van, chases anonymity and does not want to be famous or be recognized by people, and participates in the races which do not require much effort financially mainly to cater for his gambling problem. Intriguingly, while this gambling problem gets mentioned occasionally as the explanation for his poverty, it vanishes as a character trait later. For instance, during a scene set in the gambling haven of Las Vegas, Sonny displays absolutely no temptation or interest in betting, rendering this established aspect of his personality confusingly irrelevant.
Convenient Plot Developments
As a result, the storyline becomes more convincing due to suitable placements. This is the case when an old friend named Ruben, a role played by Javier Bardem, comes back to Sonny. Ruben brings to Sonny two offers, the first is racing again in the well-known top-tier Grand Prix, and the second is mentoring a talented young rookie driver named Joshua, played by Damson Idris. In the process of teaching Joshua, Sonny becomes a guide to a skill that is mysterious to the latter, that is the perfect “hug the track” skill in high-speed driving.
Unearned Authority and Charm
Remarkably, simply through the sheer force of Sonny’s inherent charisma and script-defined specialness, he almost instantly transforms the fortunes of Ruben’s struggling, losing racing team. Even though Sonny doesn’t follow the practices of introducing collaborative leadership and laying insightful strategies to earn respect, he is always seen basking and giving orders in an impolite way to all who are within his reach.
However, what this film wants to show persuasively is Sonny through his stubbornness as an aggressive yet kind person, so the people around him don’t complain about it, honestly, and when they do, their tone is very mild. They let their resentment pass very easily and quickly acquiesce to whatever he says, even going to the extreme of leaving decisions to Sonny as if it were the most natural and right thing. This power relationship emphasizes the film’s main goal of glorifying Pitt’s image at the expense of a coherent character construction or believable relationships.
Kate’s Poorly Written Role
Meanwhile, Kerry Condon portrays Kate, the technical director working within Ruben’s racing team, and unfortunately, this character suffers from shockingly weak writing. On the surface, Kate demonstrates clear professional dedication and expresses understandable frustration about the male-dominated nature of Formula 1 racing. However, the script simultaneously forces her into a contradictory position: she must also find Sonny Hayes unbearably, distractingly attractive. Consequently, this supposed attraction frequently reduces her to a flustered, giggly state, completely undermining her professional credibility even when she attempts to address serious, legitimate technical concerns during crucial team discussions. This inconsistent characterization prevents Kate from feeling like a coherent person.
The Painful Bar Scene
Furthermore, an early scene set in a bar attempts to establish rapport between Sonny and Kate while outlining their core philosophies. However, this interaction fails dramatically for multiple reasons. Sonny’s supposed life philosophy is very ambiguous and without a clear or specific objective or point. In addition, Kate’s implies of clever and witty words comes off a bit odd and forced; it feels like they simply do not sync with Pitt’s character, and hence, no point of spark or connection is created. Therefore, it emerges as a poorly staged scene. Most importantly, the pair’s relationship fails to convince viewers, and the film in general lacks the authenticity of the exploration of romance and sexuality. It’s surprising that while this is a film that is very actively trying to magnify traditional male power, there is no hint of sexual attraction or even a display of the desire.
Joshua’s Superficial Development
Meanwhile, the young driver Joshua, played by Damson Idris, is initially presented as a vain, social-media obsessed talent. His character arc implies he merely requires some stern, old-fashioned guidance from an older white male authority figure – specifically Sonny – to transform into a disciplined champion. Essentially, the film promotes the simplistic notion that anyone encountering problems simply needs to unquestioningly listen to Sonny Hayes, and their lives will magically improve as a result. He becomes positioned as nothing less than the messiah of motorsports, the enlightened bodhisattva of the speedways. Yet, unlike a character such as Dalton in Road House, Sonny possesses no discernible spiritual depth or philosophical grounding.
Moreover, Sonny’s purported weaknesses feel superficial and unexplored. Beyond past physical injuries sustained in his racing accident, his only suggested vulnerability is the memory of a deceased father. The story, notwithstanding its sad aspect, is portrayed in a somewhat lighthearted manner in the film, as a result, it becomes almost irrelevant. Furthermore, in one instant, that is particularly memorable, two characters seem to completely forget the gravity of their situation and even raise their glasses to celebrate the fact that they both lost their fathers when they were thirteen. This undermines any potential emotional weight Sonny’s own loss might carry.
Cult-Like Following Emerges
As a result, Sonny’s impact is visible in disturbing ways by the end of the movie. A few supporting characters start adopting not only his particular lifestyle issues and superstitions but also his luck-boosting playing cards and wearing non-matching socks. These clones of Sonny behave exactly as their model and, without any explanation or addition of personal traits, they quite vividly materialize Sonny as a leader with the traits of a cult figure that the group follows. He infers the devotion just from showing up.
In the long run, Sonny Hayes turns out to be too perfect in all his “correct” actions and decisions to be taken as an interesting protagonist and the character who is still not thoroughly explained to be the true aspirational character. It is as if the public should be able to adore Brad Pitt’s movie star aura so much they would overlook the general, unchallenged, and unappealing nature of his character. The film puts the focus on the star power rather than the depth of character.
Thrilling Racing Sequences
The work of Joseph Kosinski as the director of the Formula One racing scenes in the movie has proven just how well the director has handled the scenes, making them a delight to view. His depiction of these high-speed events was truly lifelike, and he actually managed to unleash the energy and excitement of professional car racing. To make the newcomers get the better of this, Kosinski also employs sportscasters who share their thoughts off-screen with viewers. When explaining the races, people will go back and restate the basic idea of being behind a car in the same lane during this phase of the race, pit stop strategies that change, and overtaking as well, so that more people can feel the excitement of the game.
Also, it is quite evident that the majority of the thrilling racing footage results from the real physical high-speed driving and that there are very few digital special effects. Uptake of practical shooting conveys the message of the film’s astounding production budget of approximately 300 million dollars.
Massive Budget Justification
Consequently, “F1” ranks among the most expensive films ever produced. However, this substantial investment wasn’t primarily funneled into creating computer-generated imagery. Also important is the fact that the monumental funding was re-routed to the architecture of magnificent, stunning, and very much realistic cars, scouting actual existing locations and the realization of complex live-action stunts. Just like Kosinski’s earlier box office title “Top Gun: Maverick,” “F1” is a film with a considerably refined, professional, and very stylish visual appearance.
Moreover, those who are dedicated fans of actual Formula One racing will find that the movie has many real drivers, team principals, and other prominent figures from the sport who regularly make guest appearances in the film. On the other hand, viewers unfamiliar with the world of Formula One racing such as myself, are likely to find a simple guide in crowd reaction, for example, the reaction of the cheering people around can indicate the most significant moments during the races.
Jarring Corporate Saturation
However, a major distraction throughout the film stems from its relentless and blatant display of corporate sponsorships. While sponsorship integration is indeed a fundamental aspect of real Formula One, the movie implements it with such aggressive, constant visibility that it becomes genuinely disruptive to the viewing experience. Characters consistently inhabit strangely sterile, artificial-looking interior environments – team garages, hospitality suites, even private homes – that are aggressively plastered on all sides with massive, unmistakable logos for brands like Geico, EA Sports, and predominantly Expensify. They are no longer the perfect places for a race, as the setups seem like the places from the “Josie and the Pussycats” movie, overloaded with product placements. This aggressive product placement theme drastically subverts the movie’s original principle of being genuine to a high degree.
Undermined Narrative Stakes
Moreover, this saturation makes a late-film subplot feel strangely hollow. This storyline involves a supporting character secretly manipulating the Formula One managerial and regulatory system behind the scenes for personal financial gain. While intended as a dramatic revelation of corruption, such a scheme loses its intended sinister impact within a cinematic universe already dominated by overt, unquestioned corporate branding. When characters constantly wear clothing adorned with logos like Ninja Blenders and operate in spaces overwhelmed by commercial messaging, clandestine financial maneuvering seems almost mundane rather than a shocking betrayal.
Exhausting Runtime Amplifies Flaws
Had “F1” been contained within a concise, say, 90-minute runtime, most of the writing issues could hardly have been noticed or at least would have been taken less seriously due to the race excitement. Shockingly, the film winds up being an excruciatingly long 156 minutes. This excessive length provides audiences with far too much time to dwell on the movie’s various weaknesses between action sequences. While the racing scenes are undeniably exciting – often very exciting – and Brad Pitt undeniably possesses immense movie star charisma, the overall experience becomes draining. Frankly, the film’s lengthy exploration of an idealized older masculinity feels less like compelling drama and more like an extended, externalized midlife crisis – something I can personally experience without needing to watch Pitt’s cinematic version unfold for over two and a half hours.
