The Stream: A surprising, true-life story gets a conventional sports movie treatment.

The Big Screen: Great shots of racing and a good performance by David Harbour.

The Final Bill: A fast-paced and emotional depiction of an underdog story.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Writers: Jason Hall, Zach Baylin, and story by Alex Tse and Jason Hall
Stars: Archie Madekwe, David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Djimon Hounsou, Geri Horner
Genre: Action, Sports, Drama
Rating: PG-13 for intense action and some strong language
Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes
Production Companies: 2.0 Entertainment, Epic Films, Michael De Luca Productions, PlayStation Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Platform: In theaters August 25, 2023
Notable Trailers: Dumb Money, The Equalizer 3

Hey, Streamers! Videogames seem to be a hot commodity in the entertainment industry these days. However, they aren’t always adapted into good movies or television shows. This year alone we’ve seen what HBO could do with The Last of Us and Illumination produced The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Here Gran Turismo focuses on a real-life story related to the game. Let’s see whether this angle yields an entertaining movie.

Apparently, Gran Turismo is based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe). Jann is such an avid player of the racing simulator “Gran Turismo” that he believes he can become a professional racer. Jann has uncanny skill and ability to be successful and fast in the simulator, but it is questionable whether those skills translate to the real world. Meanwhile, Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom), a marketing executive at Nissan, comes up with a scheme to boost Nissan sales by creating a GT Academy aimed at players like Jann getting the opportunity to become professional racers. Moore enlists a former professional racer, Jack Salter (David Harbour), to train the new recruits and turn those that attend the GT Academy into legitimate racers. Fast cars and racing hijinks ensue.

Gran Turismo is a fun sports movie that comes with many of the sports movie tropes.  There is an underdog in Jann.  There is the grizzled, washed-up coach in Salter.  There are worried and dubious parents and evil villains that lurk on the racetrack. The mix of these elements make for an enjoyable experience.  Since this movie is based on true events, we know from the outset how this underdog story will turn out, but nevertheless it is still pretty thrilling.  The racing sequences are shot really well, which makes the big screen experience feel vital.  There are zooming cameras, and there are high-flying drone shots that help the audience follow the action on the track.  The movie is edited really well too.  It feels like a lot happens in a short amount of time which allows the movie to hold your attention.

On the performance side, David Harbour is a standout as usual. He plays that curmudgeonly figure really well, but he has a sensitive side that makes him endearing like his Stranger Things alter ego, Jim Hopper. Ultimately, Harbour is able to convey how much his character cares for Jann despite his initial skepticism.  I’ll also shout out Djimon Hounsou, who plays Jann’s father, Steve.  Hounsou’s part isn’t big, but it is pivotal in the emotional side of the story.  He has a couple really great scenes that maybe are a little cliched, but they worked for me.

Side note: Ginger Spice plays Jann’s mom, but there are no Spice Girls songs?

Ultimately, Gran Turismo delivers a great and entertaining sports movie.  It is a crowd-pleaser and a triumphant, unlikely story.  There are cool camera shots and the editing keeps the movie moving at a fast pace like the cars these guys are driving. Also, there are some touching emotional moments. Grab a box of popcorn and go for a spin with Gran Turismo.