Review: ‘Ferrari’

Michael Mann’s Enzo Ferrari biopic casts a ruthless light on the iconic carmaker’s tragic early history and its founder’s troubled family life. A spoiler-free review.

Promotional Poster for “Ferrari” (2023). Via NEON Rated, LLC.

Vintage cars grinding on the asphalt of race tracks; handsome drivers with glamorous girlfriends pushing their wheels to the maximum; a high-stakes racing competition, with the protagonist winning the race the climax of the film. Yes, is all this, as might be expected, and more.

Ferrari, directed by Michael Mann, is the story of Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the eponymous automaker and racing car stable, portrayed by Adam Driver — and never has an actor had a name more apt for the role they were playing. The action centres around what happened in 1957, when Ferrari was already in advanced middle age and events in his personal and professional life simultaneously came to a head.

The decision to confine the film to one crucial year is not a surprising authorial choice, considering Mann is best known for his highly stylized crime thrillers such as , , and . On the one hand, this approach has the benefit of focusing minds and creates momentum; on the other, it cuts out large chunks of Ferrari’s life story.