F1 Movie (2026) Review: Does Brad Pitt Deliver An Academy-award Worthy Performance?
So, the F1 movie. You know the one. The one with Brad Pitt pretending to be a race car driver. It's 2026, and everyone and their uncle has an opinion. And let's be honest, mine might be a little… spicy. Like that time I tried to make my own spicy margarita and ended up with something that tasted vaguely of regret and cayenne pepper.
First off, let's talk about Brad. He's looking good, no doubt. The salt-and-pepper hair, the weathered skin. He’s got that whole "seen-it-all, done-it-all, probably-stalled-a-few-times-in-his-career" vibe down pat. And as a guy who’s definitely stalled a few times in his own life (mostly in parking lots, but still), I can relate. He’s channeling his inner… well, himself, but with more helmet hair. It’s a good look.
Now, the big question. Academy Award worthy? Hmm. Let me put it this way. If the Academy is giving out awards for "Most Convincing Grunt While Pretending to Shift Gears," Brad’s definitely in the running. If it's for "Best Impression of Someone Who Smells Slightly of Gasoline and Existential Dread," he’s a shoe-in. But for Best Actor? For actual, gut-wrenching, tear-jerking… acting? I’m gonna lean towards "nice try, but maybe stick to directing from now on, champ."
Don't get me wrong, he’s fine. He’s a movie star. He knows how to deliver a line. He can even look intensely focused while staring at a steering wheel. It’s just that… where’s the oomph? Where’s the moment where you lean back in your seat and say, "My goodness, that man has lived a thousand lives in this role"? I kept waiting for it. I really did. I even brought extra snacks, just in case the movie was a slow burn that required sustained snackage for optimal emotional processing. It wasn't.
Instead, we get a lot of… very serious racing. And Brad looking serious. And other drivers looking serious. It’s a whole lot of seriousness. The cameras are whizzing by, the engines are roaring (and bless the sound designers, they sound loud), and Brad is there, doing his Brad thing. It’s like watching a very expensive, very well-acted, very earnest documentary about driving very fast.
I think the problem is, we’ve seen Brad Pitt do so many things. He's been a cowboy. He's been a boxer. He's been a very charming, very evil clown. He's even been a time traveler who gets stuck in his own youth. He’s like a cinematic chameleon. And maybe, just maybe, this time the chameleon was a little too… subtle. We needed more of that undeniable Pitt charisma, that twinkle in his eye that says, "I’m having way too much fun playing this role, and so should you."
Instead, we got a lot of intense furrowed brows. Which, to be fair, is probably what real race car drivers do. But we’re not watching a real race car driver, are we? We're watching Brad Pitt. And we expect a certain level of… Pitt-ness. You know? The swagger. The effortless cool. The ability to make even the most mundane task look like a scene straight out of a Greek tragedy, but with better hair.
Maybe my expectations are too high. Maybe I’m just spoiled by all the other amazing things Brad has done. I mean, who can forget him in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood? He practically invented cool. Or his turn in Fight Club? Iconic. This F1 movie, it’s… it’s good. It’s a solid 7 out of 10. It's entertaining. The racing sequences are genuinely thrilling. But an Oscar? For this? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say… probably not.
Perhaps the real award-worthy performance in this movie is the sound of the engines. Or maybe it’s the cinematography, which is stunning. Or heck, maybe it's the way they managed to make me care about a fictional racing team. That's a feat in itself!
Look, I'm not saying Brad Pitt is bad in the movie. He’s not. He’s just… not Oscar-bait bad. He’s more like… "pleasantly surprising" bad. Like finding an extra fry at the bottom of your fast-food bag. It’s a nice bonus, but it’s not going to win you a Michelin star.
So, to sum it up, is the F1 movie worth watching? Absolutely. Will Brad Pitt win an Oscar for it? My money's on the guy who designed the car liveries. He’s got my vote.
It’s a fun ride, though. Just don’t go in expecting your heart to be shattered into a million pieces by Brad’s dramatic prowess. Go in expecting some high-octane thrills and a very handsome man looking very focused. And if that’s not enough to get you to the cinema, well, I don’t know what is.