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Thoughts on the Film: Rush

Why I Cherish this Movie

By Shanon NormanPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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Although the film "Rush" came out in 2013, I did not see it for the first time until several years later. I don't know how the dvd came into my possession or why I decided to watch a movie about car racers as I have never been a fan of the sport or educated in the history of the cars or racers. Yet this film had such an impact on my soul that it is ranked as one of my all time favorites on my mental list.

The film was directed by Ron Howard - a director who has a way of pulling at my heart strings. The story written by Peter Morgan pulls from actual historical facts and spins some drama from tidbits of facts. I think both Howard and Morgan were remarkable with their craft and they should be very proud of what they crafted in this film. Chris Hemsworth (who plays the racer James Hunt) and Daniel Bruhl (who plays his rival Nikki Lauda) make the movie a masterpiece, and I can not imagine any other actors cast for these roles. They were perfection.

Why does this weird movie about two Formula 1 race car drivers have such an effect on me? Why did I care so much about the plot and the characters? I suppose it's the pervading themes that really influenced me and the delivery of the powerful dialogue that remains memorable to me. While the theme of competition and rivalry is evident from the start of the film to the finish (which makes sense considering it's a story about car racers) there is an underlying theme of respect and friendship and commitment. James and Nikki both want to be winners. James doesn't want to let his team and those who love him down. Nikki feels like there is no point to being in a race unless you aim to win. They both put everything they have on the line, including their lives, but there is a philosophical difference between the two racers. While James drives with passion, Nikki drives intellectually. James knows how dangerous racing is, but Nikki tries to argue that with enough skill and caution, danger should not be the element of the race that is focused on. This is how they live their personal lives as well. James is the popular and well loved "rock star", while Nikki is the geeky, rule-following loner who often gets mocked for not caring about the social aspects of the sport's fame.

As we get to know both of them watching them race and talk in the movie, we see that they are both romantics, and each finds a woman to adore and marry. However, I think there is a subtle statement made about marriage and romance in the film as well. While women may be attracted to passion and sexiness, in the long run it seems they remain more loyal to the steady comfort of having someone to come "home" to at night. There was no doubt that Suzy loved James just as Marlene loved Nikki. Yet Nikki's relationship outlasted James' just as Nikki's career did. It is not a statement about talent or skill. James is a proven champion. It is a statement about passion versus intellect, and I think the film favors intellect as the more consistent winner.

There are many moments in the movie that brought me to tears and pieces of dialogue that remain unforgettable. When I first heard Nikki tell Marlene "Happiness is the enemy" I was a bit shocked. For years I thought about that line and it still comes to mind as I deal with the challenges of life and the opinions of other people. I think he was trying to tell his love that he was afraid of being happy because if his "enemies" knew that he had something to lose, they would use it against him. He is not wrong strategically to think of this, but Marlene explains to him, like James does in another scene, that in life you can't give up on happiness or there is no point - just like the point of the race is to win.

I have to be reminded of this all the time. I am a lot like Nikki and James. I love to win. I hate to lose. I love to be loved and popular. I love to be successful. I have felt for most of my life that I have had to prove my worth. Am I pretty enough yet? Am I smart enough yet? Am I good enough yet? While many people may see the film's major theme as rivalry and competition that is not the part of the film that resonates with me. The friendship between them and the way they inspire each other is much more significant to me. The honesty they share together and the way they respect and defend each other - those precious gems of life that are shown in this film are the reason this movie is so special to me.

There is a scene of a reporter mocking Nikki after he survived a terrible crash and was hospitalized with severe wounds. While this part may have been fictional, it was such a vital emotional scene to me. James gets so angry at the reporter for his nasty comments that he beats the hell out of him even though the comments were about Nikki not James. It's more than defending a friend. James took it personally. The reporter wasn't just disrespecting Nikki. He was disrespecting all of the racers. That's true comradery. That is the understanding that your worst rival is like your closest sibling and inspires you to be your best.

I love and cherish this film and can watch it over and over without ever getting bored. It's not the racing that makes me want to watch it. It's the story and the characters and how these two racers show parallel lines to my existence. I am not a car racer, yet I have lived and felt what these drivers have lived and felt in my own life challenges. I have a deep admiration, respect, and love for both the real life racers and the actors who portrayed them. I salute all who were involved in the story and the film's creation. Thank you for sharing this most touching and memorable film.

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Shanon Norman

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