Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Ferrari is most compelling when it brings Enzo Ferrari’s private grief into collision with the danger of the Mille Miglia. Michael Mann’s film has striking racing imagery and a memorable Laura Ferrari, played by Penélope Cruz, but its three strands—marriage, business crisis and the race—do not always cohere. It is a selective, sometimes slow character study, not a full account of Ferrari’s life or the cars his company made.
What is Ferrari about?
Directed by Michael Mann and written by Troy Kennedy Martin, Ferrari takes place in the summer of 1957. Adam Driver plays Enzo Ferrari, whose company faces financial pressure as he navigates a strained marriage to Laura (Penélope Cruz), the death of their son, and a hidden family with Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley) and their son Piero. The approaching Mille Miglia gives the story a deadline and a dangerous public arena.
The film concentrates on this short period rather than tracing Enzo from childhood through his later life. That narrow frame lets Mann bring domestic tensions, business decisions and motorsport together, but it also means viewers looking for a broad history of Ferrari or a detailed account of the company’s technical development may find the scope limited.
Is Ferrari worth watching?
It is worth considering if you want a character-driven motorsport film with vivid race sequences and a strong performance from Cruz. The film’s emotional center is not simply Enzo’s ambition: it is the way grief and divided loyalties shape his relationships, especially with Laura. One standout moment is a visit to the family mausoleum, where the film gives that grief room to register.
#1 Best Overall
- The 1/43 FERRARI RACING 296 GT3 2023 is a novelty from 2024 in the Bburago Ferrari Signature collection, representing an iconic 1:43rd scale racing car.
- This miniature model is made of metal, ensuring both strength and fidelity to detail for an immersive experience.
- Inspired by the Ferrari GT3 of the 2023 season, this replica captures the essence of performance and elegance associated with the brand
- Featuring high-quality workmanship and remarkable precision, this replica promises to delight collectors with its authentic appearance.
- Whether it's for display in a collectible storefront or for collecting fun, this novelty from 2024 is a valuable addition to any miniature car collection.
Wenlei Ma’s review praises Cruz and cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, while arguing that the film’s personal, business and racing stories do not consistently work together. Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus is more positive, calling the film “sleek and well-acted” and praising its complexity despite an “occasionally underpowered narrative.” The current Rotten Tomatoes page showed a 73% Tomatometer from 261 reviews and a 73% Popcornmeter from 500+ verified ratings when consulted; those scores and counts can change.
Is Ferrari slow?
Its pace is measured, and the balance between quiet scenes and race spectacle can feel uneven. Ma describes it as a film that “bores as much as it thrills,” a critical judgment rather than a universal response. Rotten Tomatoes’ audience summary likewise notes that some viewers may find the story slow.
Rank #2
- Ferrari 296 GT3 "Emil Frey Racing, No.14", DTM 2023 1:32 scale analog slot car compatible with Carrera EVOLUTION Tracks
- Carrera Part No. 20027761
- Carrera Evolution Slot Car is powered by an inline E200 motor and fitted with replaceable double contact brushes for maximum contact with the slot car track while downforce magnets underneath make for quick cornering and great handling
- Working headlights and taillights combined with a detailed interior and high-quality tampo-printing over a detailed mold designed to faithfully replicate the original car
- Carrera Evolution slot car can be upgradaded to digital with installation of digital chip(sold separately)
The restraint does suit a portrait of a man who keeps work and grief in separate compartments, but the film does not always make that withholding feel purposeful. Its fatal Mille Miglia crash sequence is another point of disagreement: Ma objects to its slow-motion treatment. Viewers differ on the effect, but the sequence is graphic and the racing danger is central to the film.
How does the racing and car history fit in?
The Mille Miglia gives the film its largest bursts of speed and danger, but Ferrari is not structured as a technical history of the marque or a race-by-race chronicle. It uses the 1957 event to intensify the story’s existing pressures: the company’s precarious position, Enzo’s need to maintain control, and the costs of his choices.
Rank #3
- Ferrari 296 GT3 "Emil Frey Racing, No.14", DTM 2023 1:24 scale digital slot car for racing on Carrera DIGITAL 124 and 132 Race Tracks
- Carrera Part No. 20023964
- Carrera Digital 124 slot car is fitted with replaceable double contact brushes for maximum contact with the slot car track while downforce magnets underneath make for quick cornering and great handling
- Working headlights and taillights combined with a detailed interior and high-quality tampo-printing over a detailed mold designed to faithfully replicate the original car
- Compatible with Carrera Digital 132 and 124 slot car racing tracks
Ma’s review describes the Mille Miglia as a 1,000-mile road competition in Italy, reports 56 deaths over its 30-year history, and identifies 1957 as its final running. That historical figure is reported by the review; it is not independently confirmed here against an official race-history source. The film’s U.S. rating is R for language, graphic images, sexual content and some violence.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Ferrari based on a book?
Yes. A Nation Online article identifies Brock Yates’s 1991 book Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine as source material for the film. It is optional background reading rather than a guide to every choice the film makes: Mann’s story remains focused on a compressed period in 1957.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
At a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Director | Michael Mann |
| Writer | Troy Kennedy Martin |
| Lead cast | Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari; Penélope Cruz as Laura Ferrari; Shailene Woodley as Lina Lardi |
| Setting | Summer 1957 |
| Runtime | 2 hours, 5 minutes, according to Rotten Tomatoes |
| Rating | U.S. R rating for language, graphic images, sexual content and some violence |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
