Gran Turismo is not just a great sports movie, it is a good underdog story as well. Based on a true story, this film is surprisingly really entertaining.
Gran Turismo is a well known racing video game. Hearing that there is a movie made based off of real life events that surrounded that game might not appeal to everyone. While video game adaptations get a bad reputation, know that this movie is not an adaptation. The thing is, this isn’t a movie that brings what happens in the game to the screen, but rather the true story of a boy who played that game and went on to be a race car driver.
Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Gran Turismo would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in both unions.
Gran Turismo is very much a sports movie. It has that underdog vibe that will have viewers rooting for Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe) the second they are introduced to him. He comes from humble beginnings and has a dream to be a real life racecar driver. Considering how difficult that is, he focuses on a video game — Gran Turismo — that is extremely realistic.
When a contest is launched to send the top simulation drivers to an academy to learn how to actually race, he is among the chosen. The man teaching him and the others is Jack Salter, who is played by David Harbour. Even though this movie is about Jann and his journey, David Harbour very much steals the show.
That isn’t to say that Archie isn’t fantastic, because he is. In fact, it is the chemistry he has with Harbour, and their relationship that is built on screen, that makes Harbour’s character and performance work so well.
Orlando Bloom, who plays Danny Moore, is great as well. Even though the movie starts off seemingly focused on him, he falls to the background fairly quickly. There is even a moment where he seems like the villain, and becomes a bit unlikable. Of course, this is because he is strictly coming at things from a marketing standpoint, but you can’t help but be annoyed by him.
Because Gran Turismo a racing film, there are quite a few races. These are fun to watch, even for those who are not a fan of the sport. Since we know the characters so well, we end up rooting for them, or hoping to see them fail (looking at you, Capa!). There are some wild moments and some great, fast paced, sequences.
This is also a video game movie, and the way that the game is integrated into the real life moments, especially during the racing scenes, is done seamlessly. It delivers really cool visuals that audiences will be talking about as they leave the theater.
Gran Turismo has its flaws as well, however. It covers a lengthy timeline. As it hits new chapters in Jann’s life, you can’t help but think it is coming to an end soon, but then it doesn’t. There are several climax moments throughout the movie as well. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can be exhausting and causes the movie to feel longer than it really is.
There are some characters that are underused, such as Jann’s mother and father. When they come in for the emotional beats it doesn’t work — because we haven’t seen them enough to fully understand and care about that relationship. Same goes for the girl Jann has a crush on at the start. She’s in and out so quickly that viewers likely won’t be invested in them.
As with more movies that depict true events, audience members who stick through the credits will be treated to some updates and facts about the real Jann Mardenborough, who was actually the stunt person for Archie while filming. How cool is that?
Overall Thoughts
The majority of people going into this movie are going to be pleasantly surprised by the outcome. It is a sports underdog story at its core, with just a dash of video game references. There are certainly things that those who aren’t gamers will not pick up on, but that doesn’t take away from anything.
Gran Turismo has some edge of your seat moments, and some great racing scenes. For those who love racing, this one is sure to be a hit. Every performance is great, but it is David Harbour that stands out the most. It is clear he put his heart and soul into this role, and it really shows.
Gran Turismo races into theaters on August 25th, and is for sure one to watch out for!
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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About Gran Turismo
Gran Turismo is based on the unbelievable true story of a team of unlikely underdogs – a struggling working-class gamer (Archie Madekwe), a failed former racecar driver (David Harbour), and an idealistic motorsport executive (Orlando Bloom). Together, they risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. Gran Turismo is an inspiring, thrilling, and action-packed story that proves that nothing is impossible when you’re fueled from within.
Gran Turismo comes to theaters on August 25th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.