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Ferrari is based on the life of the former racer with the first name Enzo, and the book subtitled “The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine” – all of which would rather have made for an overlong title.
As we first see him, with Adam Driver (65) inserted into old footage, it’s 1947 and he’s calling time on the career, in order to set up Auto Construction Ferrari. Fast-forward ten years to 1957, and he’s in a financial quandry while mourning the death of his son, Dino, one year earlier, as is his estranged wife, Laura (Penélope Cruz – Grimsby). Meanwhile, he’s in a relationship with Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley – Dumb Money), who wants their young son, Piero, to bear his family name. So, quite a fix all round.
Also mourning the loss of his father and brother, some years earlier, there’s also calamity when another man tests out for him, only for things not to work out, Enzo is castigated by their mother, to which he concludes, “When a mother interferes, death usually follows”, making him come across as a very cold-hearted and grumpy old Hector.
However, in a bid to revive his fortunes – given that he only sold 98 cars in the past year, he needs to go into business with Henry Ford, thus get a big cash injection and sell 400 cars a year. Can he manage it?
Well, Laura has 50% of the Ferrari shares, and needs to sell them back to Enzo so he can do the deal with Ford, and get the required capital he needs in order to boost his business. As such, is he prepared to give her a cheque, on the proviso that she doesn’t cash it before the deal is closed? If she does, he’s completely stuffed, and there’s not a lot of love lost between them.
Another way for Enzo to boost the coffers would be to enter and win the 1957 Mille Miglia, but if you’ve come here for racing-only in this 130-minute long movie, then you’ll be waiting until the last 45 minutes for that. As for how that works out, you’ll either need to watch the film or look up the facts online.
Either way, this is a long slog from Michael Mann (Thief) and far from his best. In fact, this backseat driver even manages to make the racing scenes feel a bit dull!
Ferrari is in cinemas now, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 130 minutes
Release date: December 26th 2023
Studio: Sky Cinema
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (Anamorphic Panavision), Spherical, X-OCN XT (8.2K)
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 5/10
Director: Michael Mann
Producers: Monika Bacardi, John Friedberg, Thomas Hayslip, John Lesher, Michael Mann, Laura Rister, Marie Savare, Thorsten Schumacher, Lars Sylvest, PJ van Sandwijk, Gareth West
Screenplay: Troy Kennedy Martin
Based on the book: Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine by Brock Yates
Music: Daniel Pemberton
Cast:
Enzo Ferrari: Adam Driver
Laura Ferrari: Penélope Cruz
Lina Lardi: Shailene Woodley
Piero Lardi: Giuseppe Festinese
Linda Christian: Sarah Gadon
Peter Collins: Jack O’Connell
Piero Taruffi: Patrick Dempsey
Jean Behra: Derek Hill
Brusoni the Tenor: Leonardo Caimi
Alfonso de Portago: Gabriel Leone
Carlo Chiti: Michele Savoia
Omer Orsi: Jacopo Bruno
Adolfo Orsi: Domenico Fortunato
Alda: Franca Abategiovanni
Adalgisa Ferrari: Daniela Piperno
Porter: Alessandro Cremona
Louis Klemantaski: Javier Cornelio Merida
Mike Hawthorn: Samuel Hubinette
Graf Berghe von Trips: Wyatt Carnel
Olivier Gendebien: Brett Smrz
Sergio Scaglietti: Lino Musella
Cosetti: Tommaso Paolucci
Dino Ferrari (Seven Years Old): Gabriel Noto
Alfredo Ferrari: Alfredo Benedettini
Stirling Moss: Ben Collins
Commentator (Millie Miglia): Robert Steiner
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.