“F1 The Movie,” racing into theaters June 27 from Apple Studios, is a thrilling, turbo-charged summer spectacle that merges sleek visuals, heart-pounding action, and a surprisingly reflective character arc—all powered by Brad Pitt at the wheel.
Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a grizzled former racing champ-turned-journeyman driver who’s drifting through life as much as he is across the global racing circuit. Living out of a van and hopping into cars for short stints, Sonny seems content to coast—until Ruben (Javier Bardem), a former teammate and now desperate team owner, offers him one last chance at relevance.
Ruben’s team is in shambles, his reputation fading. But he believes Sonny could be the Hail Mary he needs. Teaming Sonny with promising rookie Joshua Pierce (Damson Idris), Ruben places all his hopes in this unlikely duo to restore glory to the failing franchise.
At first, Sonny comes in hot—racing hard, talking louder, and attempting to bulldoze his way back to the top. But under the surface of this pedal-to-the-metal thrill ride is a redemptive undercurrent. As Sonny mentors Joshua, he begins to rediscover the value of humility, teamwork, and, ultimately, selflessness.
Director Joseph Kosinski (“Top Gun: Maverick,” “Tron: Legacy”) knows how to deliver immersive cinematic experiences, and “F1 The Movie” is no exception. With Hans Zimmer’s pulsating score and cutting-edge race footage—shot in collaboration with real FORMULA 1 teams—the film places the audience squarely in the driver’s seat. Every hairpin turn and pit stop crackles with energy.
Pitt leans into his mature leading-man era here, blending swagger with weariness in a performance that echoes his work in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” He’s part mentor, part maverick, and wholly magnetic. His interplay with Idris provides the emotional engine that drives the film forward.
While “F1 the Movie” isn’t overtly spiritual, it does offer some themes of substance—most notably Sonny’s quiet pre-race prayers and his growing commitment to elevating others above himself. The arc recalls Philippians 2:3, which encourages believers to “value others above yourselves” and Sonny certainly sees the joy in it. It’s a subtle, yet significant thread woven through all the high-speed drama.
“F1 The Movie,” directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Tobias Menzies, and Kim Bodnia, is rated PG-13 for strong language and action. It releases in theaters on June 27 from Apple Studios.
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