The inspirational sports movie is usually a formula for a crowd-pleaser. An unlikely underdog rises to the top of a sport, overcoming impossible odds to get there. Unfortunately, it’s a recipe that has been done to death and viewers can easily predict what’s going to happen. However, these types of films can still win over audiences, especially if it’s a true story that no one knew about. Gran Turismo does convert an incredible true story into the basic sports drama formula, but its style and performances manage to raise it to another level.
‘Gran Turismo’ is an incredible true story that’s too predictable at times
Gran Turismo stars Archie Madekwe as Jann Mardenborough, an expert Gran Turismo player who earns the opportunity to train to be a real-life race car driver. After getting the chance to represent Nissan in worldwide races, he enters the unfamiliar world of racing, where he must overcome dangerous obstacles while dealing with people who doubt he can succeed outside of the game.
While making a racing simulator driver a professional racer seems bizarre, it is an amazing true story that does make this movie more interesting than it should be. Seeing Jann go from gaming to driving is exciting, especially with the help from David Harbour’s character, a pessimistic former driver who thinks the whole operation is a horrible idea. However, he is eventually won over by Jann’s remarkable talent, and their chemistry becomes one of the main heartbeats of the film.
Orlando Bloom is also excellent as a desperate executive at Nissan who comes up with this idea. However, his character is often sidelined for the more emotional connections between Harbour’s character and Jann, along with the relationship between Jann and his father, played exceptionally well by Djimon Hounsou. There are other characters like Janns love interest and a rival racer but these storylines don’t have much of a payoff and are mainly there to add more emotion to the races and Jann’s overall story.
The main issue with Gran Turismo’s story is that its script is very generic and doesn’t have enough personality to make it stand out. Harbour and Madekwe do manage to make it pop with excellent performances but they are working with rather standard dialogue. The plot is captivating enough, but audiences will be able to predict everything that happens next. Every twist feels less powerful because we know exactly how they will be resolved. The movie is also over 2 hours and it doesn’t need to be as we know where it’s going and its runtime is evident, especially when it’s heading toward a resolution we can see coming miles away. It’s obviously fictionalized at times to add tension and drama but that’s forgivable here as almost every biopic embellishes past events and it’s harmless here.
Director Neil Blomkamp adds a unique vision to a tired script
Fortunately, the man behind the camera is a visionary filmmaker. Blomkamp tends to stay in the sci-fi genre but his move to sports action here is well worth the trip. The races are exceptional, placing viewers in the driver’s seat as they fly by sharp turns at speeds over 200 mph.
One particular style choice Blomkamp does well here is giving viewers a look into Jann’s mind. During the races, Jann sees arrows and lines as he visualizes the course similar to how he would do it in the game. He also strips the car down at times, letting Jann imagine that he’s back in his room, playing Gran Turismo in his gaming chair. This gives the film a distinct vision and allows the races to be unique to this movie, and not taken from other racing movies.
The sound design is also exceptional as the seats rumble throughout, getting louder as the cars zoom by. It’s an immersive experience and each race boosts the film right when the story starts to get tedious. One specific moment genuinely made me gasp, and I realized just how invested in the racing sequences I was.
Gran Turismo is not a movie that’s going to change the future of sports movies, but it is one that manages to stand out in a crowded room. It has likable characters, wonderful performances, and an inspirational true story that is worth learning about. It won’t be remembered in history like Rocky or Hoosiers, but it’s an enjoyable film that both moviegoers and gamers can enjoy.
Final rating: 7.5/10
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The Review
Gran Turismo
'Gran Turismo' is painfully predictable at times but it's saved from being completely generic by excellent performances and creative direction from Neil Blomkamp.
Review Breakdown
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Gran Turismo
