Gran Turismo Review: A Thrilling Underdog Story

If you've been to a cinema recently, it's more than likely you'll have seen the Gran Turismo trailer playing. The internet has made it a meme at this point, poking fun at how often it's shown. Even writer/director Matthew A. Cherry, known for Abbott Elementary, and his Oscar-winning short film Hair Love, joined the jest, saying the movie has "that Barbie marketing budget".

While the film will compete with big summer blockbusters when it releases this week, it is worth the diversion to check out Academy Award nominee Neill Blomkamp's latest. Written by fellow Oscar nominees Jason Hall and Zach Baylin, Gran Turismo tells the true story of Jann Mardenborough, who went from gamer to professional racing driver in an unlikely way.

Archie Madekwe gets a chance to break out in the lead role of Jann, having featured previously in smaller parts in films such as Midsommar and Beau is Afraid. Jann wins a competition hosted by Danny Moore, played by Orlando Bloom, which gives the leading players of the Gran Turismo game a chance to compete in professional races. Moore convinces ex-race car driver Jack Salter, played by David Harbour, to team up with him to teach the gamers how to race like professionals, and the duo find their protege in Jann.

As a lover of underdog stories, Gran Turismo hits all the marks required for a heartfelt story about one young boy chasing his dreams. The film is not only about the price you have to pay to believe in yourself but also about paternal relationships and how vital they can be to your sense of self. Jann's relationship with his professional footballer father, Steve, is strained. The two don't see eye to eye, and Steve struggles to view the realism of the dream Jann sees so clearly. Enter Jack Salter as the surrogate father figure who believes in him almost from the word go. Seeing himself reflected in Jann's hunger and vulnerability, Jack gravitates towards him, and the two form an unlikely bond. They each have a part that needs healing within themselves, and the relationship between them gives them the key to do so.

For a movie that runs at two hours and fifteen minutes, the film flies by with some excellent pacing delivered by editor duo Colby Parker Jr. and Austyn Daines. Intending to put you in the driver's seat, the cuts are exhilarating, amplifying the edge-of-your-seat feeling Blomkamp was trying to generate. They get creative with VFX, playing with the film's heart in gaming. As a result, Gran Turismo cleverly manufactures a relationship with its audience that both makes you the driver and the spectator. Jann is easy to root for because Madekwe is so fantastic, but also because the audience becomes entwined with his journey.

David Harbour may be the standout in the role of Jack Salter. He's playing with so much nuance and complexity that, when he's not on screen, you wonder what he's up to. He and Archie Madekwe have great chemistry, bouncing off each other in every scene, bringing out the best of what the other has to offer.

While it may not stray too far from the tropes of its hybrid of genres, it is a good time out at the movies with a stellar soundtrack and is a solid pick for families looking to please both adults and children. If the applause at the end of my screening is anything to go by, Gran Turismo is likely to be a crowd-pleaser and a great hit to round out the summer with.

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