with Matt Damon as hotshot automotive designer Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale as the ramshackle driver Ken Miles, "Ford v Ferrari" provides an endearing showcase for its stars on par with the flashy vehicles they put into action
this is a smooth, crowd-pleasing true story about Americans striving to outpace foreign rivals in a feat of engineering; the best cinematic racing ever filmed. It's a sturdy, old-fashioned movie, made from a template but delivered with gusto
the best sports movies aren't so much about the sport as they are the personalities, and these two (Matt Damon and Christian Bale) go big with their performances
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.
James Mangold does well to maintain a sense of peril as well as make the 24 Hours of Le Mans race something that's visually compelling and exciting, even to those not enthusiastic about the sport
it's both that good and that entertaining; it's executed so sharply, with such artistic confidence and mastery, that it rises above its familiar structure to become a rousing, wildly compelling, and genuinely great racing movie
a full-bodied and exciting true-life story in which the men behind the wheels are just as dynamic as the machines they drive... fronted by fine lead performances by Christian Bale and Matt Damon
a big, glossy crowd-pleaser of a film, high on horsepower, engine grease, and clean-sweat '60s masculinity; there's something gratifying too, in a nicely old-fashioned way, in being carried across the finish line by such fine actors & capable filmmaking
"Ford v Ferrari" is a great-looking, handsomely produced but tiringly acted and inert sports drama about two good ol' boys from the self-admiring world of motor racing
"Ford v Ferrari" hits its stride when it fully embraces the humor and the adrenaline of the film fueled by the performances of Christian Bale and Matt Damon. Sound design and incredible stunt driving bring the film to life
by Joshua Rothkopf [Time Out New York ]
by Peter Bradshaw [The Guardian ]
