I have to admit that I’m not a big racing videogame-playing sort of person unless it’s something like Mario Kart.
In fact, in any other racing video game, I’ll spend more time racking up damages to my vehicle or playing a form of bumper cars than racing an actual track.
That being said when I heard the new ‘Gran Tourismo’ film was based on a true story and featured a unique premise – I knew I had to catch it on the silver screen for the full effect.
And I have to say that it doesn’t disappoint – instead, it offers a more heartfelt sort of racing story than just throwing ridiculously expensive cars in your face with barely any storyline.
Gran Turismo (subtitled ‘Based on a True Story’ in some countries) is a 2023 American biographical sports action drama film directed by Neill Blomkamp from a screenplay by Jason Hall and Zach Baylin.
Produced by Columbia Pictures, PlayStation Productions, and 2.0 Entertainment, it is based on the racing simulation video game series of the same name developed by Polyphony Digital.
The movie tells the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a teenage Gran Turismo player who became a professional race car driver.
The film stars Archie Madekwe as Mardenborough alongside David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Emelia Hartford, Geri Halliwell Horner, Josha Stradowski, Daniel Puig, Maeve Courtier-Lilley, and Djimon Hounsou.
Rated PG-13 for intense action and some strong language, the film is 134 minutes long.
Following a pitch by marketing executive Danny Moore (Bloom), the motorsport division of Nissan established the GT Academy to recruit skilled players of the racing simulator “Gran Turismo” and turn them into real racing drivers.
Danny recruits former driver-turned-mechanic Jack Salter (Harbour) to train the players.
Jack is initially hesitant but accepts after tiring of the arrogance of his team’s driver, Nicholas Capa (Stradowski).
Meanwhile, teenage retail employee and gamer from Cardiff, Wales - Jann Mardenborough - is an avid GT player and wants to become a racing driver, despite the disapproval of his former footballer father Steve (Hounsou).
One day, Jann learns he is eligible for a qualification race to join the GT Academy after setting a record time for a particular track.
The night before his race, Jann is invited by his brother Coby (Puig) to a party, and the brothers take their father’s car.
Jann ends up flirting with Audrey (Lilley) – a young woman he’s had a crush on for a while.
The gathering is disbanded after police arrive, and Jann initiates a pursuit after driving away when their friends are pulled over.
The brothers escape but are caught returning home by their father.
Unfortunately, Jann is taken to his father’s place of employment the next morning in an attempt to be taught a life lesson, but leaves early to partake in the qualifying race, which he wins, earning a place in GT Academy.
At the academy camp, Jack puts the competitors through their paces in various tests, through which ten competitors are narrowed down to five.
Overall, the way Jann’s visualizations behind the wheel are what makes this movie better than the average racing flick I’ve seen over the years.
It’s also worth watching Jann’s father come around to realize his son’s dream is attainable and makes for a heartwarming underlying thread to the whole story, too.
