In 1957, Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) is juggling financial challenges for his company, a crucial attempt by his team to win the Mille Miglia race, and personal issues involving his wife (Penélope Cruz) and mistress (Shailene Woodley).

Michael Mann’s first film in a decade tries to capture a particularly intense period in Ferrari’s life where he was constantly pushing forward, even though past decisions and heartbreak demanded his attention. He was a flawed man, and so is this portrait, failing to dig deeper.

Still, it’s hard to resist a film this handsome, with compelling conflicts, a fiery performance by Cruz and racing scenes that have you hooked, at times even shocked.

2023-U.S. 130 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Michael Mann. Screenplay: Troy Kennedy Martin. Book: Brock Yates (”Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine”). Cinematography: Erik Messerschmidt. Cast: Adam Driver (Enzo Ferrari), Penélope Cruz (Laura Ferrari), Shailene Woodley (Lina Lardi), Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O’Connell, Patrick Dempsey. 

Trivia: At different points, Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman and Noomi Rapace were considered for roles.

Last word: “I’ve known Piero [Ferrari] for 25 years. I wanted him to read the script over many years, and he didn’t want to. He trusted me. In preproduction this time around, he read it and he had things to add. There were a lot of valuable insights, like Enzo never made a cup of coffee for himself in his life. He never shaved himself. What kind of underwear he slept in.” (Mann, Vulture)