Plans to develop a film based on Grand Touring, the video game/racing simulator for PlayStation, were revealed twice. Sony’s first announcement was made in 2013 and it came to nothing. At that time, many people wondered why the property had been decided to adapt, especially when it was already on the way. need for speed (2014), another live action version of a game focused on fast cars.
By 2022, when the announcement of the second attempt was made, things were different. Tapes based on games for digital consoles were already much more accepted – or the public was resigned to their sporadic appearance. In addition, contrary to what had happened almost a decade ago, now details of the plot were revealed.
Gran Turismo: From player to racer tells the story of Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe), an avid gamer who knows the titles of the simulator franchise inside and out, as he spends his days practicing with the technological equipment that he has assembled in his room. He wants to follow in the footsteps of his father, a former soccer player, and dedicate himself to sports, but not on a field, but on racetracks.
Dreaming of making it to the track, he receives an invitation to participate in the GT Academy, a talent scouting program created by Nissan sales executive Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom). The program has the objective of converting -with the help of Jack Salter (David Harbour), an ex-pilot and specialized technician- several gamers from different countries in real corridors.
Yes, it sounds impossible. But that is the curious thing about this proposal: it is based on something that did happen. Mardenborough was not a professional runner, and with a lot of training and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he became one. There is no doubt that this is material for a standard biopic. And there is something that is important to make clear from now on: in reality, the basic structure is of biopic from manual.
The script, written by Jason Hall (Thanks for your service) and Zach Baylin (King Richard: A Winning Family, Creed III), does not evade the presentation of the elements that make up the classical formula. There is a protagonist who has a dream and will do whatever it takes to fulfill it, but he will have to overcome several obstacles, such as the presence of a reluctant and unaccommodating mentor, as well as the zero acceptance of a member of his family towards what he wants to do in his life. And, of course, there are also rivals to beat.
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However, what matters here is not the what, but the how. The director of this project is Neill Blomkamp, known for works of science fiction such as Sector 9 (2009), Elysium (2013) or chappie (2015). Undoubtedly, the choice of the South African to command the project is wise. It is clear that, for him, this was a job commissioned by the studio. Although it is notorious that he could not influence much in the direction that the script would take, it is appreciated that he does manage to reconfigure the already known tropes. This is thanks to two key aspects in his filmography.
First, there’s the usual filmmaker’s knack for making his feature films look good and fill the screen with punchy images. The film uses a hand-held camera style that emulates documentary film at all times. This technique has already been used by Blomkamp in previous installments of his filmography, but by detaching himself from the context sci fi it becomes more effective on an emotional level. The ultra-realistic photography of Jacques Jouffret (mile 22) blends nicely with the computer generated graphics, which are also a delight for the pupils. Especially in the scenes where we see Jann go from the simulator chair to a real race car. It is impossible not to be left with your mouth open every time there is a transition from the world of bits to the real one.
Another thing that stands out is the creative’s ability to give his protagonists palpable humanity. The film is buoyed in large part by the charisma of Madekwe, Bloom and Harbour, but also by the way their performances were directed. There is not a hint of cynicism in their characterizations and, therefore, it is easy to worry about them. When they’re on the track and off it, everything matters.
Perhaps to describe well the way in which the film turns the hackneyed artifice around it is necessary to talk about an important scene, even if this means giving spoilers light. When all the applicants are already inside the academy, the tests without simulators begin. It’s Jann’s turn to compete, track and car, against Matty Davis, the favorite to take a place in the Nissan team. In the last stretch of the race, both reach the finish line within a millisecond of each other.
Salter, the trainer, reviews the footage from the cameras and realizes that the winner was Mardenborough, but Moore, true to the sales world, tells him that it would be better to continue the activities with Davis, because he has a lot of presence and “not stutters on camera.” Salter just reiterates that “Jann won” and there’s no further argument, no overblown lawsuit, no sentimental background music. Just someone defending the talent in front of him.
so the movie Gran Turismo: From player to racer it becomes an unforgettable experience. In the end, the insertion of the classic narrative resources is a mere transaction to be able to offer something much bigger. With honesty to spare and immersive visuals, it’s proof that mega-productions can still be made with high quality. It not only addresses the importance of giving people opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities. It is also invigorating and leaves the viewer with a grin from ear to ear as they leave the room. Amazement and adrenaline at its best.
Jose Roberto Landaverde I love writing, listening, reading and commenting on everything related to cinema. I love music and am a fan of The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and Paramore. My favorite movies are Rocky and Back to the Future and obviously one day I’ll climb the “Philly Steps” and drive a DeLorean. Faithful believer that cinema is the best teleportation machine, and also that on the big screen we can all see ourselves represented.