Ferrari passion project that’s lacking insome crucial va va voom

MICHAEL MANN careers into the Venice competition with Ferrari, his decades-long passion project about Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), the man behind the distinctive red racing car.

- Jo-Ann Titmarsh

Ferrari
Venice Film Festival
★★***

Sadly, it’s unlikely this film will see the chequered flag raised come the end of the festival, given how it stalls and splutters along its 130-minute course.

Despite numerous issues, there are some things to like about Ferrari. First of all: location, location, location. Set predominantly in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, the villas are lovely, the countryside idyllic, the towns adorable, the architecture stunning. Once the pre-credit black-and-white sequence of Enzo racing as a young man is over, the film moves into colour and relishes the not-too-difficult task of making everything look gorgeous.