Rush is a Formula 1 Racing movie about the true story of legendary drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The film is set during the 1970s and follows Hunt and Lauda’s rivalry.

I’m not the biggest fan of Indy car racing, but after that one with Stallone I’ve always had a healthy respect for how bad a movie about the sport can be. That said, Rush is being directed by Ron Howard, so at the very least it won’t be a total turd.

So in Rush James Hunt is a playboy who enjoys some great success in Formula 1 racing, and Niki Lauda is a more methodical racer who uses intelligence more than Hunt’s boldness. In real life Lauda was in a crash that darn near killed him, otherwise known as EVERY crash in Indy races, but he still got back in a car a few weeks later and continued to race because of his intense rivalry with Hunt.

Rush

Ron Howard is directing from a screenplay by Peter Morgan. Howard is pretty well known, with films like A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13 in his credits, and Morgan is likewise quite successful, with the films The Queen, Frost/Nixon and The Last King of Scotland in his credits. Not bad.

Rush Trailer

Movie Release Date

September 20, 2013.

Pictures

Who’s In It?

Chris Hemsworth … James Hunt
  Olivia Wilde … Suzy Miller
  Natalie Dormer … Gemma
  Daniel Brühl … Niki Lauda
  Tom Wlaschiha … Harald Ertl (rumored)
  Alexandra Maria Lara … Marlene Knaus
  Lee Asquith-Coe … Fiji Pit Crew
  Santi Scinelli … Awards Folk
  Rebecca Ferdinando … Maid of Honour
  Joséphine de La Baume … Agnes Bonnet
  Jamie Sives … BRM Mechanic
  Pierfrancesco Favino … Clay Regazzoni
  Christian McKay … Alexander Hesketh
  Lee Craven … German C Class
  Julian Seager … Millionaire Rockstar
  Alessandro De Marco … Daniele Audetto
  Alistair Petrie … Stirling Moss
  Jay Simpson … Clive
  John Duggan … Journalist
  Lee Nicholas Harris … Paramedic USA
  Raffaello Degruttola … Giovanni
  James Michael Rankin … Fireman
  Chris Cowlin … German Ambulance Man

What’s Good About It?

The filmmakers here are outstanding. Ron Howard and Peter Morgan are both really at the top of their fields, and a story about Formula 1 race car drivers could be really cool. I personally don’t think too highly of car racing, but it’s an interesting sport. The fact that it’s so unbelievably dangerous makes it good material for a film.

What’s Bad About It?

Rush is still a film about racing. Days of Thunder aside those films all suck monkey ass.

I was kidding about Days of Thunder. That also sucked monkey ass.

Our Clever Prediction

I expect Rush to get a big push, and if leads Hemsworth and Bruhl can bring incredible performances to what is bound to be a great script and solid directing this could be an early Oscar contender.

Or it could be a stupid movie about racing.