Ferrari is director Michael Mann’s long-in-development passion project that has finally come to life, and this wait has resulted in a mature, well-crafted film that one can’t help but appreciate. Back with his first film in eight years, it is clear that at 80 years old, Mann hasn’t lost his edge in the slightest. 

Enzo Ferrari is living a double life. He switches between living with his wife, Laura Ferrari (Penélope Cruz), who owns half of his company in their apartment in town and staying at a secret house outside the city with his mistress, Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley). His son Piero, the byproduct of his affair with Lina, lives there, too. The child is struggling to come to terms with his identity as his confirmation comes closer since Enzo has yet to legally claim the boy. At the same time, Enzo’s company is close to bankruptcy, and he is grieving the loss of his son Dino with his wife Laura, who died a year ago from muscular dystrophy. Pressure is building on Enzo from all sides. He is given one solution to save his company: win the Mille Miglia and increase the demand for sports cars. 

Ferrari is no birth-to-death biopic. Instead, it ops for the terribly perfect intersection of several future-defining problems in Enzo’s life. There is so much intriguing story available, though it feels slightly lacking on a first watch. With so many storylines to balance, the emotional catharsis, save for one harrowing scene, was not as resonant as one would hope. Luckily, there are still plenty of great moments throughout the film that are brought to life by Mann and the actors. Where the screenplay lacks, Michael Mann picks up the ball. Somehow, Mann makes a conversation between lovers as entertaining as the electric racing scenes. Overall, it’s stylish and sexy, not to mention unbelievably well-crafted. 

Adam Driver gives a brilliant performance as an egomaniacal control freak who values power and beauty over everything. Driver’s naturally large size plays perfectly into this character. Enzo is a demanding presence, lives be damned as long as his drivers get him a win, and his looming figure does half the work for the character. Despite being well-known for his long, black hair, Driver looks perfect with the sleek gray hair, which was excellently executed by the hair and makeup team. It’s also important to acknowledge his role as a producer for the film, his second credit after Leos Carax’s Annette in 2021. Driver took pay cuts to get Ferrari made. His dedication to auteur-driven film is so admirable. Thankfully, we have stars like Driver who use their power in the industry to get movies released in theaters that would otherwise be shafted to streaming services or go unmade. 

Penélope Cruz gives an Oscar-worthy performance as Laura, Enzo’s tough-as-nails wife. We get to see her at every emotional point, from intense grief to shrewd coldness to utter rage. She gets so much to chew on, and she eats it up. I would not be surprised if she pulled off another Oscar nomination with little industry precursor support, just like in 2022 with Parallel Mothers. Enzo’s other romantic partner is played by Shailene Woodley, who is miscast in the role. She looks so inherently American, and her Italian accent is the weakest among all the cast members. I wouldn’t go so far as to say she was “bad,” but she does stand out from the rest of the cast. Also, it is so nice to see Patrick Dempsey back in the limelight as racecar driver Piero Taruffi. He seems like he is having fun in his role, with a striking head of hair to match. 

The highly anticipated racing scenes were as exciting as I was hoping they would be. Two essential aspects of a racing scene are the editing and sound, both of which are excellent throughout. Mann makes the shifting of a gear as enthralling as a battle scene. Also, the clear, precise hums of the engines are some of the best sound work all year. The Oscar shortlist for 10 categories was announced recently, and Ferrari has made the final ten for Best Sound. There is some heavy competition this year, considering half the category is in Best Picture contention, although a film about racing in a prestige film by a respected director should be catnip to the Academy. Finally, the imagery of the beautiful Italian countryside and the production design are to die for. It is clear just how much effort went into recreating such a specific moment.  

One thing that surprised me was the struggle I had with the Italian accents in the beginning. For those whose ear is not attuned to the accent, I found it slightly hard to follow initially, particularly since the audience is dropped suddenly into Ferrari’s life. This might also have played into the emotional disconnect because it took a little longer to sink into the film. Perhaps my own personal reliance as a subtitle user hindered my viewing in the beginning, although I quickly grew accustomed to it as Ferrari continued. Those more familiar with the accent will probably have little to no problem with this aspect of the film.Despite the years of development, the passing of its screenwriter Troy Kennedy Martin, and multiple leading men attached to play Enzo, Ferrari has overcome it all. The film is a brilliant showing of a man determined to create a legacy at the most volatile crux of his life as death follows him. You shouldn’t expect to have your hand held during this movie. Ferrari respects its audience, and we are expected to actively engage with the film. Conclusions to certain storylines are not obviously stated, so extrapolating the answers is a must. The more I reflect on the film, the more I come to love it, and it should certainly hold up on a rewatch. Everyone should take the time to cruise into a showing of Ferrari as this holiday season wraps up. 

Grade: A-

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: Best Sound
Should be Considered: Best Supporting Actress (Penélope Cruz), Best Make-up & Hairstyling, Best Film Editing

Where to Watch: In Theaters