'Ferrari': Why Penélope Cruz is the real star of the Adam Driver-led movie

Adam Driver transforms into Enzo Ferrari in Michael Mann's film Ferrari, also starring Shailene Woodley and Penélope Cruz.

Ferrari release date: In theatres Dec. 25
Director: Michael Mann
Cast: Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O’Connell, Patrick Dempsey
Runtime: 124 minutes

What is 'Ferrari' about?

Mann's movie is set during a time of crisis for Ferrari in 1957, specifically for Enzo, facing bankruptcy that's threatening the factory he started with his wife Laura (Cruz). Their marriage has been particularly strained after their son, Dino, died from muscular dystrophy in 1956, at the age of 24.

Meanwhile, Enzo had a child with Lina Lardi, Piero (Woodley), who he hasn't publicly acknowledged as his own.

Enzo essentially bets it all on the famed 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race, an open-road loop from Brescia to Rome in Italy, with an impressive Ferrari racing team, including veteran Piero Taruffi (Patrick Dempsey).

Based on Brock Yates’ 1991 book "Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Car, The Races, The Machine," Ferrari leads us to the tragic crash that resulted in the death of driver Alfonso de Portago, his co-driver Edmund Nelson and nine spectators of the Mille Miglia. The tragic event led to the cancellation of the race.

Is 'Ferrari' worth watching?

When Driver starred in House of Gucci, alongside Lady Gaga, both audiences and critics were quick to blast the actor for his Italian accent, and we have to admit, it hasn't gotten better.

One of the biggest issues, across the board, with Ferrari is the lack of consistency in the accents of most of the actors, and it's just too distracting. Instead of paying attention to the plot, it's more likely you'll just be thinking, "Didn't Patrick Dempsey have an accent in that last scene. Where did that go? Why does Woodley's Lina just sound like an American?"

There is one significant exception, and it's Cruz. Really, this actor held much of this film together for us.

Aside from having the most believable Italian accent in the cast, Cruz also really embodies a woman who is experiencing horrific grief, but she's also incredibly motivated to ensure her investment in Ferrari comes out in her favour, while also being angry that her husband has a completely separate family with Lina and Piero.

Admittedly, she has a lot more to work with in the script for Ferrari, but the actor just devours every scene she's in with visceral emotion. She snaps us back into focus throughout the film and becomes the beating heart of the movie.

By contrast, Driver as Enzo is far more stoic, but we hoped to see a bit more of a layered and dynamic character to follow through these particularly complex moments of his life. But there still is power in Driver's reserved performance.

When it comes to the actual racing moments in the film, that's where Mann's film shines. When you see the cars whip around, there is a thrill that's largely absent for much the film, and feels incredibly satisfying.

It all culminates in the 1957 Mille Miglia crash, with Mann really leaning into the traumatic and horrifying with his depiction of that moment.

If you're specifically a fan of Ferrari culture, then there's enough in this film to likely keep your interest, but overall, it feels like a movie that could have used more fine-tuning.