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I'm baaaaaaaaack!!! 
My laptop problems took longer than expected to resolve and then since Saturday I've been really sick and not been on at all. But I have now returned to ease the withdrawal symptoms you all must be having! 
Plot - Set during Formula 1’s 1970s heyday, Rush details the legendary rivalry between two of the decade’s biggest stars. James Hunt (Hemsworth) is a handsome, dashing British playboy. His rival is Niki Lauda (Brühl), a methodical and no-nonsense individual. While both men had very different approaches to their lives, both in professional and personal terms, they did have one thing in common - a tremendous talent for racing. This came to a head during the incredible 1976 season when they were pitted against each other as the two main contenders for that year’s Championship; a battle that would push both men right to the edge and place their very lives on the line.
Having been mentioned in pretty much every review written about it, it’s almost become the catchphrase for Rush that you “don’t need to be a fan of motor racing to enjoy this film.” And I would certainly echo that sentiment. While I have a vague awareness of what is going on in the sport (I gather that Sebastian Vettel is meant to be rather decent I think) I really don’t follow it in any great manner. That didn’t stop me from finding this to be fantastic and thrilling experience however.
In those reviews the one area where Rush has received universal acclaim, and rightly so, is in the sequences that recreate the Formula 1 races where these two men pitted themselves against each other. They are astonishing in their realism and intensity, fully immersing you in the experience. Ron Howard and his cinematographer, Anthony Dod Mantle, deserve immense praise for how they were able to construct these segments. While it may be the camera angles and editing that create the adrenaline rush, it is Mantle’s cinematography that really makes them pop off the screen. He employs a bit of a faded, grainy texture and a sepia tone to the pictures, which in addition to creating that retro, nostalgic 70s vibe, also makes the races appear spectacularly similar to footage of the era. And the final race, the Japanese Grand Prix, which takes place in the torrential rain looks incredible. While the racing genre may not be one I have a great exposure to I feel it would be a safe bet to assume that Rush features some of the greatest examples of motor racing ever seen on screen, perhaps the greatest. In fact I’d go as far to say that it has to be one of the best depictions of any sport ever seen on film.
The sound design on these occasions is also quite extraordinary. The deafening, guttural roars of the engine and exhausts create an incredible soundtrack to set the racing to. Especially with it sitting alongside Hans Zimmer’s excellent, pounding score. In fact it is actually during the racing sequences that just about all of the film’s technical aspects really shine at their brightest. And while it’s quite a minor arrow in the film’s quiver, I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Rush earn itself a nomination or two at the big awards shows in the category of Best Make-Up. It is only really utilised for one aspect but is done so quite spectacularly. Following his spectacular crash at the German Grand Prix, and the ensuing fire that he was trapped in, Niki Lauda was severely burned and left badly scarred. The scenes detailing this are really visceral, eliciting many a grimace and a sharp intake of breath from the audience I saw the film with.
While Rush would be a fine sports film based purely on how authentically it recreates the sport, what really lifts it and makes it just a fine film in general are the two characters at its core. Niki Lauda and James Hunt were two of the biggest Formula 1 stars of the day, and great rivals. Given their great rivalry what is perhaps most surprising is just how similar the two men were in many ways. Both men came from very well-to-do families and rejected their father’s wishes to follow them into a ‘respectable’ profession to instead become racing car drivers. Due to the livelihood both men have chosen to pursue, they realise and accept that each day could be their last. This creates two completely different approaches however. Lauda attempts to control everything to an almost OCD level in an effort to limit the risks that he faces. Hunt takes the completely different viewpoint however. He seems to believe that if it’s going to happen it’s going to happen, so he just truly lives every day like it’s his last. He is a true playboy extraordinaire, like the James Bond of the racing world. Throughout the film we see him bedding numerous women, drinking and smoking. You certainly don’t see his likes today. And while it’s in two completely different manners both men were actually quite unique, maverick individuals in their own rights; totally set aside from every other racer on the circuit. Lauda is an immensely serious and dedicated individual, someone who really delves into the science of racing and makes numerous adjustments to his car in a bid to shave off even the slightest millisecond of his lap times. Hunt is his polar opposite in this respect. He seems to just show up at the track and as long as you point him in the direction of his car he feels that he is going to win. Whereas Lauda would constantly strive to improve himself it seems that Hunt relies much more on just pure natural talent.
Rush benefits from a sharp script from Peter Morgan, a man who is becoming a bit of a specialist with this kind of venture. Having also written The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, Frost/Nixon and The Damned United within the last decade this is a very experienced man in the realm of period films based on true stories, stories that frequently pit two strong characters against each other whether it be David Frost and Richard Nixon , the Queen and Tony Blair or here in Rush, James Hunt and Niki Lauda. He has so far been nominated twice at the Academy Awards and this could well complete a hat-trick of nominations for him. If there was one complaint I had about the script it is that too often it told us what was going on with the characters, instead of just allowing us to see it and work it out for ourselves. There’s one or two speeches too many from Lauda and Hunt in an attempt to spell out their individual characters and the issues that exist between them.
For all its incredible racing footage, Rush would not wholly satisfy unless it had two fine performances at its core. And thankfully it does. Chris Hemsworth has already proved in Star Trek and the Marvel double-bill of Thor and The Avengers that he has what it takes to be a ‘star’ in Hollywood. With Rush he proves for the first time (at least that I’ve seen) that he may also have what it takes to be a real ‘actor’ as well. He puts in a very strong showing as James Hunt, easily capturing the arrogance and swagger of the character whilst also portraying the rare occasion where he reveals a deeper side to him. Aside from his turn as Frederick Zoller in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds Daniel Brühl is a bit of an unknown quantity to English speaking audiences. On the strength of this performance however I wouldn’t be all that surprised if that were to change in the coming years. He is excellent as the stern, uptight Lauda. I really found myself going on a journey with Brühl and the character; initially being quite turned off by his pedantic and uptight nature, before coming to root for him following his mellowing when he meets his future wife and the incredible comeback following his nightmarish crash. Both men are great and play off each other very nicely. One problem with dedicating such focus to just two characters though is that very few other characters are really developed to any great degree. This is particularly true of the female characters who very often feel like they are just sex objects or trophy wives; although you could argue that this appears to be the case on Hunt’s behalf.
One of the main factors that inspired Ron Howard to make Rush was the issue of rivalry and it’s clear to see that up on the screen. The film highlights how by having the other man in each of their lives it made them push even harder and achieve success that they may not otherwise have attained. And that’s something that we’ve seen numerous times before in the sporting arenas. You could argue that the standing of both Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier may be signifcantly less had they not had each other as rivals. Had Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal not been such large rivals it is unlikely that would have pushed themselves to the lengths they did in the 2008 Wimbledon final, widely regarded as the greatest tennis match of all time. Even in team sports you have the same thing. What would the Yankees be without the Red Sox? The Lakers without the Celtics etc? It shows the great importance that a fierce rivalry can have to the careers of many athletes.
There is something else that it shows as well. When you combine it with Senna (the superlative documentary from a few years back) Rush makes a very strong point of how just insane the men involved in this sport were. Even today with all the advances in technology it is still a dangerous sport. While no-one has died since Ayrton Senna in 1994 there have been many serious injuries and lucky escapes. But if it’s still risky these days then back in the 70s it was truly mind-boggling how these men put their lives on the line. Twelve men died on the track during that decade alone. Rush really drives the point home of just how dangerous it was and highlights the consequences. Following Lauda’s crash we get the aforementioned make-up job to convey his burns, and we also get a quite distressing scene in which we see a doctor inserting an instrument down his throat to vacuum his lungs. As someone who has a very strong gag reflex just seeing that and placing myself in the situation actually made me feel quite ill.
Following an incredible event in the world of sports it’s quite common for a sports commentator to break out the cliché about how if this was a script written by Hollywood we wouldn’t buy it because it would seem to implausible. And there is certainly a degree of that going on here in Rush. Where this merely a piece of fiction you would write it off as being ridiculously far-fetched and striving too strenuously for high drama. It’s an incredible story with a finale to the Championship season that really did seem too amazing to be true. In fact I was sure the film must have fiddled with the facts too build the drama but when I came home and checked online it proved to be absolutely true. And the fact that I had no knowledge of the story certainly aided in my enjoyment. I had no idea about the outcome, who won what races, or even whether either of them had died in a crash. That incredible conclusion to both the Championship season and the film ensures that Rush crossed the finishing line in thrilling fashion.
Conclusion - The Oscar season is well and truly upon us people, and here is one of the first contenders out of the garage. While I feel it may struggle to make an impact in the major award categories I feel it has a good chance in numerous technical departments. Sound editing, sound mixing, editing, cinematography, make-up etc are all very impressive and capable of notching up a nomination. Even categories such as original script, score, director and actor aren’t outwith the realms of possibility. And in fact I wonder if I may have under-rated it slightly, and if it could become a real favourite of mine. The reason being is that as I was writing the review I was thinking to myself that I really could watch it again right away; something that is quite rare for me.
My laptop problems took longer than expected to resolve and then since Saturday I've been really sick and not been on at all. But I have now returned to ease the withdrawal symptoms you all must be having! And I'm returning with a new review. In fact my laptop was out of commission for so long that I was able to just about write a whole review with my mum's iPad. Took me ages though as was so much slower than normal
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Year of release
2013
2013
Directed by
Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Written by
Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan
Starring
Chris Hemsworth
Daniel Brühl
Olivia Wilde
Alexandra Maria Lara
Pierfrancesco Favino
Stephen Mangan
Christian McKay
Chris Hemsworth
Daniel Brühl
Olivia Wilde
Alexandra Maria Lara
Pierfrancesco Favino
Stephen Mangan
Christian McKay
Rush
++
Plot - Set during Formula 1’s 1970s heyday, Rush details the legendary rivalry between two of the decade’s biggest stars. James Hunt (Hemsworth) is a handsome, dashing British playboy. His rival is Niki Lauda (Brühl), a methodical and no-nonsense individual. While both men had very different approaches to their lives, both in professional and personal terms, they did have one thing in common - a tremendous talent for racing. This came to a head during the incredible 1976 season when they were pitted against each other as the two main contenders for that year’s Championship; a battle that would push both men right to the edge and place their very lives on the line.
Having been mentioned in pretty much every review written about it, it’s almost become the catchphrase for Rush that you “don’t need to be a fan of motor racing to enjoy this film.” And I would certainly echo that sentiment. While I have a vague awareness of what is going on in the sport (I gather that Sebastian Vettel is meant to be rather decent I think
) I really don’t follow it in any great manner. That didn’t stop me from finding this to be fantastic and thrilling experience however.In those reviews the one area where Rush has received universal acclaim, and rightly so, is in the sequences that recreate the Formula 1 races where these two men pitted themselves against each other. They are astonishing in their realism and intensity, fully immersing you in the experience. Ron Howard and his cinematographer, Anthony Dod Mantle, deserve immense praise for how they were able to construct these segments. While it may be the camera angles and editing that create the adrenaline rush, it is Mantle’s cinematography that really makes them pop off the screen. He employs a bit of a faded, grainy texture and a sepia tone to the pictures, which in addition to creating that retro, nostalgic 70s vibe, also makes the races appear spectacularly similar to footage of the era. And the final race, the Japanese Grand Prix, which takes place in the torrential rain looks incredible. While the racing genre may not be one I have a great exposure to I feel it would be a safe bet to assume that Rush features some of the greatest examples of motor racing ever seen on screen, perhaps the greatest. In fact I’d go as far to say that it has to be one of the best depictions of any sport ever seen on film.
The sound design on these occasions is also quite extraordinary. The deafening, guttural roars of the engine and exhausts create an incredible soundtrack to set the racing to. Especially with it sitting alongside Hans Zimmer’s excellent, pounding score. In fact it is actually during the racing sequences that just about all of the film’s technical aspects really shine at their brightest. And while it’s quite a minor arrow in the film’s quiver, I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Rush earn itself a nomination or two at the big awards shows in the category of Best Make-Up. It is only really utilised for one aspect but is done so quite spectacularly. Following his spectacular crash at the German Grand Prix, and the ensuing fire that he was trapped in, Niki Lauda was severely burned and left badly scarred. The scenes detailing this are really visceral, eliciting many a grimace and a sharp intake of breath from the audience I saw the film with.
Film Trivia Snippets - Neither Daniel Brühl or Chris Hemsworth were allowed to drive a real Formula 1 car so instead they had to use Formula 3 cars covered with fake F1 bodywork. /// In a bid to mimic Niki Lauda’s overbite Daniel Brühl wore a dental appliance. /// Originally Ron Howard had the intention of casting Russell Crowe in a cameo role as the legendary actor Richard Burton. The idea was to have Burton confront James Hunt about the affair that Burton was having with Hunt’s wife Suzy. /// Having bulked up for his performance as Thor in Thor: The Dark World, Chris Hemsworth subsequently had to drop around 30 pounds before he could play James Hunt. /// When he saw the film Niki Lauda was both pleased and indeed surprised with the overall presentation of the film. He was quoted as saying: "When I saw it the first time I was impressed. There was no Hollywood changes or things changed a little bit Hollywood-like. It is very accurate. And this really surprised me very positively.”
Rush benefits from a sharp script from Peter Morgan, a man who is becoming a bit of a specialist with this kind of venture. Having also written The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, Frost/Nixon and The Damned United within the last decade this is a very experienced man in the realm of period films based on true stories, stories that frequently pit two strong characters against each other whether it be David Frost and Richard Nixon , the Queen and Tony Blair or here in Rush, James Hunt and Niki Lauda. He has so far been nominated twice at the Academy Awards and this could well complete a hat-trick of nominations for him. If there was one complaint I had about the script it is that too often it told us what was going on with the characters, instead of just allowing us to see it and work it out for ourselves. There’s one or two speeches too many from Lauda and Hunt in an attempt to spell out their individual characters and the issues that exist between them.
For all its incredible racing footage, Rush would not wholly satisfy unless it had two fine performances at its core. And thankfully it does. Chris Hemsworth has already proved in Star Trek and the Marvel double-bill of Thor and The Avengers that he has what it takes to be a ‘star’ in Hollywood. With Rush he proves for the first time (at least that I’ve seen) that he may also have what it takes to be a real ‘actor’ as well. He puts in a very strong showing as James Hunt, easily capturing the arrogance and swagger of the character whilst also portraying the rare occasion where he reveals a deeper side to him. Aside from his turn as Frederick Zoller in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds Daniel Brühl is a bit of an unknown quantity to English speaking audiences. On the strength of this performance however I wouldn’t be all that surprised if that were to change in the coming years. He is excellent as the stern, uptight Lauda. I really found myself going on a journey with Brühl and the character; initially being quite turned off by his pedantic and uptight nature, before coming to root for him following his mellowing when he meets his future wife and the incredible comeback following his nightmarish crash. Both men are great and play off each other very nicely. One problem with dedicating such focus to just two characters though is that very few other characters are really developed to any great degree. This is particularly true of the female characters who very often feel like they are just sex objects or trophy wives; although you could argue that this appears to be the case on Hunt’s behalf.
Film Trivia Snippets - Peter Morgan, the film’s screenwriter, had a helpful link with Niki Lauda thanks to his wife. Just like Niki Lauder himself, Morgan’s wife is Austrian. This created a connection between them which proved very beneficial, and helped to form a relationship which resulted in them meeting for some 30 dinners together in a Vienna restaurant. /// The structure of Rush and its strong focus on the characters can actually be traced back to its inception. Peter Morgan wrote the script for Rush on spec under the assumption that it would be a very low budget film, perhaps without any racing sequences whatsoever. 'If you grow up in England, that's how you think', he said. Instead, he structured the film as a race of sorts between the two main characters. /// The film was shot on location in the UK, Germany and Austria. Filming took place at the former World War II airfield of Blackbushe Airport in Hampshire, the Snetterton race track in Norfolk, Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, Brands Hatch in Kent and the Nürburgring in Germany. To recreate the races both vintage and replica cars were used in the filming.
There is something else that it shows as well. When you combine it with Senna (the superlative documentary from a few years back) Rush makes a very strong point of how just insane the men involved in this sport were. Even today with all the advances in technology it is still a dangerous sport. While no-one has died since Ayrton Senna in 1994 there have been many serious injuries and lucky escapes. But if it’s still risky these days then back in the 70s it was truly mind-boggling how these men put their lives on the line. Twelve men died on the track during that decade alone. Rush really drives the point home of just how dangerous it was and highlights the consequences. Following Lauda’s crash we get the aforementioned make-up job to convey his burns, and we also get a quite distressing scene in which we see a doctor inserting an instrument down his throat to vacuum his lungs. As someone who has a very strong gag reflex just seeing that and placing myself in the situation actually made me feel quite ill.
Following an incredible event in the world of sports it’s quite common for a sports commentator to break out the cliché about how if this was a script written by Hollywood we wouldn’t buy it because it would seem to implausible. And there is certainly a degree of that going on here in Rush. Where this merely a piece of fiction you would write it off as being ridiculously far-fetched and striving too strenuously for high drama. It’s an incredible story with a finale to the Championship season that really did seem too amazing to be true. In fact I was sure the film must have fiddled with the facts too build the drama but when I came home and checked online it proved to be absolutely true. And the fact that I had no knowledge of the story certainly aided in my enjoyment. I had no idea about the outcome, who won what races, or even whether either of them had died in a crash. That incredible conclusion to both the Championship season and the film ensures that Rush crossed the finishing line in thrilling fashion.
Conclusion - The Oscar season is well and truly upon us people, and here is one of the first contenders out of the garage. While I feel it may struggle to make an impact in the major award categories I feel it has a good chance in numerous technical departments. Sound editing, sound mixing, editing, cinematography, make-up etc are all very impressive and capable of notching up a nomination. Even categories such as original script, score, director and actor aren’t outwith the realms of possibility. And in fact I wonder if I may have under-rated it slightly, and if it could become a real favourite of mine. The reason being is that as I was writing the review I was thinking to myself that I really could watch it again right away; something that is quite rare for me.
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JayDee's Movie Musings (Reviews - Frailty / Total Recall / Lone Ranger / Nightcrawler / Whiplash / Imitation Game / Birdman / Avengers: Age of Ultron / Mad Max: Fury Road)
No welcome back, no great work with the Rush review, no hope you're feeling better....straight to your selfish demands! And who the hell repped her for that demanding bitchiness?!!! 
That makes me a sad panda. 
Are you an F1 fan? Oh and by the way am I getting mixed up or when someone else mentioned/reviewed Rush did you mention how you watched a documentary about their rivarly or something?
Sorry everyone. It's that filthy Quills movie! It puts dirty and perverted thoughts in your mind!