Ford v. Ferrari

"Ford v Ferrari is a frustrating watch. It has some terrific car racing scenes and expresses the passion of petrolheads well; but this is a great story with great actors that’s simply told poorly. Everyone’s trying their best, but the over-the-top cheesiness and painful predictability almost ruin the whole thing."

"Call it The Fast and the Curious. Director James Mangold’s ability to infuse unexpected detail and emotional relevance into familiar genres – an approach seen as early as 1997’s Cop Land and given stark fulfilment by 2017’s Logan – shines through in this automotive drama, where the goal of winning a supposedly unobtainable race becomes the lens for friendship, frustration and ultimately release."

"Whether you live for the thrill of burning rubber and dented metal, or you’re just looking for another good night out at the movies, Ford v Ferrari makes for an exceptionally fun, funny and heart-pulsing ride from first flag to last."

"Mangold has firmly fixed the film in its time. It’s not a matter of lengthening sideburns, raising skirts and planting hippies among the extras. Its more subliminal. The cinematography has a rough texture that speaks of time’s passing. The cars may be shiny but there’s no gloss in the rest of the décor."

"On the biggest screen you can find, with the volume turned up to concussive levels, Ford v Ferrari is a great ride and a gratifyingly respectful retelling of history."

"It's a film about pride-about being as proud of your own flesh and blood as you are of your metal machines, and about the craziness that flares up whenever pride gets hurt."

"A mid-1960s corporate rivalry may not seem like the stuff of fist-pumping, crowd-pleasing cinema, yet the battle is sketched with such élan, all high-gloss surfaces, scotch-swilling intrigue and rat-a-tat dialogue, that it's impossible not to be drawn in."

"A paean to masculinity, and creativity... Is what it promises to be, a blast from the past."

"The best sports movies aren't so much about the sport as they are the personalities, and these two go big with their performances..."

"Ford V. Ferrari is a good ride, and a good example of what so many people are thirsty for."

"The true life challenge of creating the perfect racing car inspires a dynamic, precision-engineered crowd-pleaser in Ford v Ferrari."

"Great-looking, handsomely produced but tiringly acted and inert..."

"A full-bodied and exciting true-life story in which the men behind the wheels are just as dynamic as the machines they drive."

"Two immensely enjoyable central performances and some of the best race sequences yet filmed fuel an otherwise standard sports movie."

"No points for knowing who takes the racing trophy, or for knowing which version of Ford v Ferrari - the half-smart business fable or the rough-and-ready boys' own adventure - ultimately wins you over."