Twigs - Gran Turismo
Not to be confused with a Clint Eastwood movie.
[Note: This review will discuss elements of Gran Turismo that were revealed in promotional material, such as trailers. If you’re someone who enjoys going into new shows knowing as little as possible, you may want to skip reading this review.]
Video game movies are Hollywood’s next big bid for box office success.
It feels like the box office blossoming of the first Sonic the Hedgehog live-action film from Paramount has ushered in a new wave of video game movies. However, unlike the Doom’s and Resident Evil’s of old, these new films based off video games are keen on capturing the spirit of the source material—even if they don’t follow them to the letter. Some that have been highly praised by audiences include Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Mortal Kombat, and what is currently the biggest box office success of 2023, The Super Mario Bros. Movie. It’s clear that, when video game movies understand their core audience and are able to capture the soul of their original creations, they can become major successes. Which is why it seems likely Gran Turismo will be joining many new video game films in being a solid crowdpleaser.
Gran Turismo, however, stands out from other video game movies because it’s not technically based on a video game. Instead, Gran Turismo is a biopic about Jann Mardenborough, a young gamer who wins a Gran Turismo contest, attends Nissan’s gamer-focused GT Academy, and ends up becoming a professional racer. While some parts of his life are fictionalized for the movie—or events are presented out of order from how they happened in real life—the film attempts to capture the spirit of his beginnings as a racer while providing a dramatic, eventful story for the audience. This is aided by performances from Orlando Bloom as Danny Moore and David Harbour as Jack Salter, two characters heavily involved in Jann’s story in the film that don’t exist in real life. However, despite neither character being a real person, the story itself is based on Jann’s real-world experiences. Bloom and Harbour may be stand-ins for other figures involved in Jann’s early career, but that doesn’t negate from the general spirit of the film as a biopic.
One of the standout parts of the movie was, in fact, the acting. Archie Madekwe stood out as Jann, capturing the essence of a young man who wants to turn his hobby into a career. Djimon Hounsou’s performance as his father, Steve Mardenborough, was also a standout, as he tried to understand why his son wanted to be a racer and what video games have to do with it. Harbour’s performance as Jack was also memorable, offering Jann a reluctant mentor who slowly begins to understand the potential Jann has as a racer. I thought the dynamic between Jann and Jack was the best part of the film, as they felt like a duo that played off one another well. Their relationship also helped illustrate how Jann needed to defy the conventional odds of racing in order to become successful. If Jack hadn’t been there as a mentor figure for him, Jann’s story wouldn’t have felt as strong.
The cinematography and general filmmaking elements of the movie also aided in the experience. While the biopic took center stage throughout the film, the level of detail put into the racing scenes was also highly commendable. You can tell watching the movie that every race is practical, with the exception of some CGI used during the film’s few crash sequences. By putting the characters inside the actual cars, it gave the movie a Top Gun feel that added to its authenticity. It also made every race all the more harrowing, as the movie illustrates both the excitement and the dangers of race car driving. Showing both sides of the sport underscores just how intense racing can be, and how sometimes, that intensity can lead to unintended, horrific consequences. I won’t spoil much about the film’s events here, but those familiar with the real Mardenborough’s career will see some familiar events transpire during the course of the film.
This is, however, where the movie takes some artistic liberties with the reality behind Mardenborough’s driving history. Two key events from his time as a racer that are present in Gran Turismo have their real-world times rearranged to coincide with the events of the movie. While this adds to the dramatic flair of the film, one event in particular has caused controversy with critics because of the way it’s handled. This event, which truly did happen, is presented as a motivating aspect in the film, but two years prior to when said event happened in real life. This can make it feel jarring to those who know the true history of Mardenborough’s racing career, and might make some people feel at odds with the film at times. This isn’t like Bohemian Rhapsody where some events changed for dramatic effect still did a service to Freddy Mercury’s history. This was something much different, that some could find downright offensive.
However, people like me who went into the film not knowing anything about Mardenborough prior to the trailers won’t be bothered by this scene. Nor will they even notice the multitude of historical discrepancies associated with the film’s premise (for example, in reality, the first person to become a professional racer thanks to the GT Academy was Lucas Ordóñez). Because of this, the film feels more fictional than it does an accurate biographical exploration of Mardenborough’s true beginnings. However, by presenting a young Jann trying his best to become a professional race car driver through gaming, the film still delivers a powerful underdog story. Some things might be made up, and others might be embellished. But the movie still captures the spirit of what it means to follow your dreams and take advantage of opportunities that come your way, no matter what anyone says about the path you’ve chosen. It’s an uplifting, high-octane racing film that I can’t help but love despite its historical inaccuracies.
Gran Turismo is a film that stands out when it comes to video game movies. Instead of trying to tell an in-universe story adapting the game itself, the movie pulls the lens back and explores the life of someone who became a professional racer through his love of gaming. It’s uplifting not only for gamers out there who are trying to follow their dreams of being entertainers, or sports players, or creators. It’s also an uplifting tale for anyone who wants to follow a career path that is full of risk, yet is rewarding to one’s soul. Honestly, I think my biases come from being someone who’s only a few years into his journalist and fiction writer career, pushing on no matter the difficulties! But my personal experience made the movie hit a chord with me. And made me love it despite its flaws. If you’re looking for an inspiring story about a young man driven to win, then I highly recommend seeing Gran Turismo in theaters.
It truly is a unique video game movie.
***
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