Rush Is Surprisingly Awesome

Last week I had the pleasure of seeing Rush

the new Ron Howard movie with Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl. And let me just start by saying, I was impressed.

In the past, I have had a difficult time with Ron Howard's work.

I think he is an excellent producer, but when it came to his directing style and (perhaps more telling) the stories he chose to tell I frequently would find myself yawning and checking the time. So when I walked into that theatre to experience his latest film, you can imagine I was something less than enthusiastic. Then the movie started. Niki Lauda... I mean Daniel Brühl began to narrate. And I was just hooked.

From start to finish, from race to race, I had to know what was next. I felt an honest connection with the two leads and their perspectives. I felt respect for the caliber of filmmaking. And I came to respect Ron Howard's directing chops.

The story simply cruised across the screen and I never once felt the just over two hour run time. Simply put, I was invested. And when you go to the cinema to see a flick, that's all you can really hope to be - invested.

It's interesting to note the heaviest advertising push came with Hemsworth's image and name,

though in truth, this is Brühl's film for at least the majority of the time. And he really made an impression on me.

When I looked at the images of the actual racers, it took me a minute to adjust.

The casting was so superb and their mannerisms so dead on, that even in those old and frozen pictures I felt like those were the same people I had been watching the entire movie.

What's more, the races were just so fun to watch. I don't enjoy formula one racing... actually any professional racing of any kind wherein the competitors simply go around an enclosed track a myriad of times. So when a film makes me enjoy that "sport" I have to tip my hat.

If you wanna see a good rivalry film, a great sports story, and just a damn fine picture, do yourself a favor and check out Ron Howard's Rush.