MonacoGenre: Sports/Drama
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Chad Taylor
Cast:
Oscar Isaac, Michael Fassbender, Jude Law, Antonio Banderas, Rachel
Weisz, Henry Golding, Harry Styles, Sienna Miller, Dev Patel, Louis
Garrel, Shah Rukh Khan, Sophia Loren
Plot: Sirens are blaring as a
hush falls over the spectators at the Monaco Grand Prix. Some rush
forward to get a closer look at what they see on the track, others stay
back with tears in their eyes. An ambulance speeds its way through the
track to finally arrive at the site of a fiery crash that is still being
extinguished.
2 DAYS EARLIER
The buzz is in the air
as Grand Prix weekend begins. The Formula 1 season nears its end as
teams and drivers vy for positions in the final standings. Ten teams,
two drivers each and two trophies - one for the individual driver with
the most points and one for the team with the most points. This is a
rare season where both have come down to the last day.Adonis
Racing. For the last decade, Adonis has been the perennial powerhouse
in the sport. They currently sit in second in team standings but are
within reach of the championship, which would mark their eleventh
straight.Christian Richenbacher (Michael Fassbender) walks
on the beach and approaches a sun-bathing Diego Castillo (Antonio
Banderas), both men smiling.
Christian Richenbacher is a legend in
the sport, having won six championships from 2009 to 2014. Over this
time, Team Principal Diego Castillo has consistently pushed his team to
peak performance. Christian removes his shirt and sits down next to
Diego as they start to discuss the beautiful weather. Diego is a man who
likes to get to the point and so he asks if Christian has made a
decision about next season yet. Christian puts on his sunglasses and
says that this is the biggest race of the year and so his mind is on
that at the moment.
In a luxurious hotel, Silas (Henry Golding)
and Anna (Sienna Miller) are having sex. Afterwards, an exhausted Silas
collapses into the bed and looks out onto the Monaco skyline.
Silas
Song, F1’s top superstar. He has carried the baton from Christian to win
the last six titles and, at his age, plenty more seem in his future.
While Adonis is second in team standings, Silas is first in the driver
standings with his fingertips on a seventh title - which would break his
teammate’s achievement. He’s on top of the world at the moment.On
the lower level of the hotel, Marco Silva (Oscar Isaac) has headphones
in, music blaring, as he furiously works out in the gym.
Marco is
looking to become the first American F1 Drivers’ Champion since 1976. He
previously drove for Adonis early in his career but Richenbacher was
always in his way from the championship. He switched teams to Team
Honda, a relative newcomer to the sport with a lot of financial backing.
But just as Marco went to take the spotlight for his own, his Adonis
replacement - Silas - has now become his top rival and barrier to gold.
He currently sits at second in the driver standings and needs to finish
ahead of Silas to win the title.On the streets of Monaco,
Callum Forshaw (Harry Styles) drives at high speeds with his father
Oliver (Jude Law) in the passenger’s seat. Oliver critiques how Callum
makes a turn, prompting the son to assure that he knows what he’s doing.
They both laugh.
Oliver Forshaw is Team Principal for Team Honda. A
former driver in his youth, he never made it to the big level but has
channeled his energy into management. This has marked the debut season
for Honda’s new #2: Callum Forshaw. With dashing good looks, a
marketable personality, and an aggressive driving style to boot, Callum
is already being touted as the sport’s next big superstar. Due to
Callum’s overperformance and Richenbacher’s regression, Team Honda sits
in first in the team standings and is one race away from finally ending
Adonis Racing’s reign on top.At a press conference, Monica
Verducci (Rachel Weisz) stares out into a crowd of journalists. Her last
name is emblazoned in red letters on the breast pocket of her polo.
Italian
automaker Verducci Motorsport is one of the oldest teams in Formula
One. Multiple generations of Verducci’s have carried the mantle as the
team accumulated a half century’s worth of success to become synonymous
with top-level racing. Until recently. Global recessions (and
mismanagement woes) have hit the automaker hard and they might be on
their last legs. Monica, great-granddaughter of the team’s founder,
recently took over Team Principal duties after her father’s death but
vulture capitalists are circling.Next to Monica sits Romain
Petitjean (Louis Garrell), who is there to announce that he is renewing
his contract with Verducci Motorsport.
Romain is a journeyman driver
who holds the dubious distinction for most races driven without a podium
finish. But he has been loyal to Monica and Verducci and they have
reciprocated that loyalty. When questions open up to reporters, one
asks about the rumors that Verducci Motorsport may be sold to Indian
billionaire Rudra Singhania. Monica, a bit flustered, quickly dismisses
these rumors and says that she is committed to restoring the brand.
Another reporter follows up by asking what she thinks finishing seventh
in the team standings does to that once-proud legacy. She asks if he is
questioning her ability to manage the team and the reporter says that
surely the blame could be put somewhere. An angered Monica prematurely
ends the press conference.
A private jet lands at a nearby
airport as Rudra Singhania (Shah Rhuk Khan) emerges from it shortly
after. His aides surround him and provide a weather forecast for the
weekend’s race. Rudra is transported to the city where he meets with
Vishwas Chaddha (Dev Patel) at a high-class restaurant. Singhania says
that the weather looks good for Sunday and asks how the car is driving.
Vishwas
is an Indian driver who is Petitjean’s teammate at Verducci. Crucially,
he has the backing of billionaire Singhania, who offered his financial
assistance through sponsorship to the team in exchange for giving
Vishwas a spot on the team. Some have questioned whether he is in F1
because of merit or only through connections, leaving him with a chip on
his shoulder.The fates of many are in the air heading into the biggest race weekend of the year. It is in the hands of the gods now.
SATURDAY
One
day before the race. The teams all make their way to the Circuit de
Monaco, an iconic street course that winds through the picturesque
sights of stunning Monte Carlo. Today is qualifying, which will be
crucial in determining the grid order for the start of Sunday’s race.
The
weather is clear as day as the drivers take the track. Marco gets off
to a flying start, setting the high mark early in qualifying. In his
ear, Oliver lauds him for his performance and Marco comments that the
car is feeling great. Callum, before he makes his run, tells his father
that he wants to place better than Marco this weekend as it would be a
statement that he is a real threat for the championship next season.
Oliver is annoyed by his son’s tone, reminding Callum that this weekend
is about securing the team title so he needs his drivers to work
together. Callum puts his helmet on and gets in his car without
responding.
In the Verducci garage, Monica receives intel that
both cars look set to underperform compared to their competition. The
stress forces her to go out back and smoke a cigarette for a moment of
peacefulness. Romain goes out for qualifying and blows away
expectations. He achieved the second fastest time after Marco. When
Monica comes back to see this news, she is elated. Meanwhile, Vishwas
experiences engine issues on his qualifying run which leaves him all the
way down in last place. Rudra, while not saying anything verbally,
looks to Monica disapprovingly after Vishwas’s car issues.
As
Christian takes the track, the commentators reminisce on his past wins
at the circuit and speculate on whether or not this will be his last
race as no announcement has been made on next season. He puts in a
lackluster performance, a few seconds behind the top performers. Diego’s
short temper emerges as he lays into Christian given what’s on the
line. He proceeds to give head nod to Silas as if to say “you know what
to do”. And there’s a reason Silas is the top driver in the world at the
moment. He dominates the track, achieving the fastest time in
qualifying and putting himself in a prime position to retain his driver
championship.
After qualifying, Silas and Marco are at the top
of the grid in first and second. Romain’s surprising run has him in
third while Callum is not far behind at fifth. Christian slots in at
eighth - well below expectations - while Vishwas’s issues landed him the
twentieth and final spot on the grid.
On the eve of the race, a
classy banquet is held to honor the race’s legacy - bringing together
all of the teams along with legends of the sport. Marco enters in a
tuxedo and nervously surveys the crowd. He heads over to the bar, where
he finds Silas ordering a drink. While they are rivals on the track,
they make friendly conversation here until Anna, Silas’s date, arrives.
Marco’s demeanor deteriorates. Anna gives him a kiss on the cheek and
asks him how he has been. Through conversation, we learn that Anna is
Marco’s ex-wife but has gotten with Silas since their split. Anna
proposes a toast to a competitive race and may the best man win, with a
sly smile on her face.
The passive aggressive stand-off between
the three is interrupted by Oliver, Marco’s boss. Oliver tells Anna it
is lovely to see her and she looks back at him with distrusting eyes. He
jokingly asks Silas if he is ready to finally lose to Team Honda. Silas
admits that winning his seventh title probably won’t feel as special as
winning his first. “But neither of you know that feeling, do you?” he
says. Oliver smiles back and says “fair play”.
Rudra and Vishwas
make their entrance and this catches the eye of Diego. He makes his way
over to the pair and begins to lay on the charm to them. Across the
room, Monica sips on a drink as she sees this going down. It is clear
that something feels off about it to her. Her spying is interrupted by
the entrance of her mother, Elena Veducci (Sophia Loren). Monica is
surprised to see her and Elena says that she wouldn’t miss an
opportunity to honor her late husband’s legacy. Monica gives her mother a
look, as if to say she is fully capable of doing that herself. Elena
mentions that she saw Diego and Rudra talking and wondered what that was
about. Elena reiterates her stance that they should not sell the team,
which Monica agrees with. Monica excuses herself outside for a smoke.
At
the bar, Christian and Romain are having a conversation as two of the
longest-tenured drivers in F1. Christian congratulates Romain on his
qualifying run and contract renewal. Romain says he would congratulate
Christian - on retirement or renewal - but he doesn’t know his decision.
Christian laughs and says that no one does. He then speaks in hushed
tones and says that he was originally thinking this was his last race.
He then looks over to Diego schmoozing Rudra and says that he doesn’t
like that. He wants to go out on his own terms and feels like he has a
few more seasons left in him. Romain cheers to that, as hopefully
they’re both not done yet.
The chairman of Formula 1 takes the
stage and begins a tribute to Gianni Verducci, who passed away nearly a
year ago. He invites Elena to take the stage to say a few words about
her late husband. As she talks, she mentions how proud Gianni was to
pass down the brand to another generation with his daughter Monica.
However, Monica’s seat is still empty.
Outside, Monica makes her
way to a nearby alley for a contemplative smoke. When she arrives, she
finds someone else already there: Callum. He is well-dressed but has not
yet gone to the banquet as he is not in the mood. Monica is surprised
to hear this, as she would’ve assumed he’d be happy after his good
qualifying run. He says it wasn’t good enough as he wanted to finish
ahead of Marco. She says that if he and Marco finish where they’re at
then Team Honda win the team championship - something she wish she was
in current position for. He says that he’s frustrated because his father
doesn’t seem to respect him and maybe that he’s intentionally holding
him back because of Oliver’s own failure to achieve driving stardom.
Monica
laughs and says that if he wants to talk about legacy, he came to the
right place. She has multiple generations of legacy to deal with given
her last name. She asks if he wants to know a secret and he nods his
head. She says that her father wanted his son to take over the
Motorsport division but he didn’t want it. So she only got the gig
because her brother didn’t want it. He whispers that it’s not exactly a
secret as all of the tabloids were speculating that at the time. They
both laugh. She rolls her eyes at the mention of the tabloids and how
difficult they make it to be a woman in motorsport. And then there’s the
financial woes and takeover rumors and it’s all so overwhelming. Her
laughs turn it to tears as she quickly wipes them away in embarrassment.
Callum slowly puts his arm around her to comfort her and tell her he
understands. After a beat, they both look up and into each other’s eyes.
Callum leans in for a kiss and Monica reciprocates.
A montage
begins as we see them passionately kissing, taking the elevator up to
her room and start to undress. Down at the banquet, Diego finishes up
his conversation with Rudra and Vishwas by shaking both of their hands.
Oliver looks around for his son and is curious about why he never
arrived. Meanwhile, Christian joins Silas and Anna and Silas asks if his
teammate is ready to bring his A-game tomorrow. Christian smiles and
says Silas shouldn’t forget that Christian was the best driver in the
world at one time and, who knows, maybe he still is. They shake hands
and affirm their wish to get the job done. In the background, Marco is
leaving the banquet early to get a good night’s sleep.
RACE DAY
Crowds
descend upon Monte Carlo as the race is only hours away. We get
glimpses of all drivers and team principals getting ready in the
morning.
Callum pulls up to the Team Honda and can tell his
father is upset. They let the tension simmer as Marco also shows up,
looking completely locked in. In the Adonis garage, Diego and Christian
go over analytics reports on the car and it becomes clear that Christian
would have what it takes to be a Team Principal some day. Silas arrives
with Anna in his arms and she kisses him good luck.
When Monica
arrives at the Verducci garage, Elena is already there. Her mother gives
her a hug and wishes the team well today. A reporter approaches Monica
and asks for comment on the breaking news. Monica isn’t sure what they
are talking about until she checks her phone and sees a notification
from Sky Sports reporting that Vishwas Chaddha is signing with Team
Adonis next season. While she seems angry in the moment, she composes
herself and says that she is sad to see him leave but that she has a
plan in place. The reporter follows up by asking if Verducci Motorsport
can survive without Rudra’s sponsorship. She reiterates that she has a
plan. Elena squeezes her daughter’s hand to show her support.
We
see Marco and Silas go through their pre-race rituals and warm-ups.
Vishwas is talking with Rudra when a reporter starts approaching. Rudra
advises him to not give any responses at this time as they will have a
big press conference next week. The reporter asks Vishwas about the move
to Adonis and he says no comment. The frustrated reporter follows up
with a question that asks: if people thought he wasn’t fit for F1 while
at Verducci, surely that criticism will only increase on the level of a
team like Adonis. This annoys Vishwas and he wants to answer but looks
to Rudra and once again says no comment. Afterwards, Romain approaches
and congratulates his teammate on the move. He says that, although they
never achieved major success together at Verducci, he knows that Vishwas
has what it takes to be a top star in F1. Vishwas shakes Romain’s hand,
thanks him, and says that he sincerely hopes Romain can pull it off
today.
Christian receives the news that he is being replaced next
season and closes his phone, deciding not to confront Diego about it
and focus on the race instead.
Diego, meanwhile, goes to get
coffee and finds that Monica is also there. There is an awkward tension
in the air as Diego asks Monica how she is doing. She says that his move
was pretty scummy and that she thought better of him. Diego says he is
sorry to hear that but that, while everyone might view sports as
entertainment, to him it is a business. Monica responds by saying that,
to her, it is family. They are interrupted by Oliver, who has also come
to get coffee. Oliver says that he has heard reports that Christian
isn’t retiring and that it seems like a dirty way to treat a respected
legend. Diego says that maybe it is Oliver who should feel guilty as it
his Honda’s success that necessitates Adonis’s changes. Oliver turns his
attention to Monica and there is a different kind of tension in the
air, given what happened between her and Callum last night. After a
moment, it becomes clear that Oliver doesn’t know about that and he
wishes them both luck today.
As a reminder, here are where
things stand heading into the final race of the season. Team Honda holds
a slim lead over Adonis Racing for the Constructors’ Championship,
given to the team with the most points. In the Drivers’ Championship,
Silas Song is in the lead and a finish in front of Marco Silva will
solidify his record seventh championship.Photographers flash
their cameras as the load of celebrities pouring over the pre-race
ceremonies as the drivers start to get into their cars. When Callum gets
into his car, he radios into his dad’s headset and lets him know that
he is going to win today. Oliver says that he hopes so but that, if push
comes to shove, Callum cannot get in Marco’s way. Callum gives him the
thumbs up. As Silas drives up to take his place at the start of the
grid, he makes long eye contact with Marco.
Engines rev, crowds cheer, and the race begins.
At
the front, Silas and Marco battle for first but Silas is able to
slightly edge out his rival at the first turn. Romain's start is subpar
as he drops a few spots after the green flag and finds himself fighting
to stay in the top five. Christian, on the other hand, shows why he is
considered a legend as he maneuvers his way to take jump from eighth to
third, crucially ahead of Callum.
Halfway through the race,
Oliver nervously paces in the Team Honda garage as he sees how close
things are and with Silas in the lead. After a moment of thinking, he
tells his assistant “undercut”. This strategy involves pitting earlier
than the car in front of you so that you are on fresher tyres. Marco
makes his pit stop but it takes longer than expected - causing him to
fall behind both Christian and Callum. When he re-enters the track and
quickly approaches Callum’s slower car, Callum blocks him from passing.
Oliver is in Callum’s ear, demanding him to let Marco pass. Callum
finally does and then goes to the pit lane himself. However, when he
gets there, he takes off his helmet and gets out of his car. Oliver
storms over to the car and asks what the hell he’s doing. This is
sabotaging the team’s chance at a title. Callum informs his father that
he is signing with Verducci Motorsport next season and walks off. In the
Verducci garage, Monica sees this on her TV and can't help but to
smile.
Silas makes his pit stop and it is the quickest one of the
day. Near the back of the field, Vishwas is pushing through the field
as best as he can. He is up to thirteenth, seven spots from where he
started. With Callum out of the race, we are down to a three-horse race
between Silas, Marco, and Christian. Romain has settled in fourth but
doesn’t have the horsepower to close the gap with the bigger team
drivers.
If Silas and Christian both finish in the top three, Adonis
wins the Constructors' Championship but Marco can still win the Drivers'
Championship with a first-place finish.With five laps to
go, it is anyone’s ballgame. Marco checks his rearview mirror and
worries that Christian is catching up to him, in which case the two
Adonis cars would be able to block him from a top finish. As such, he
goes as aggressive as ever to lay it all on the line. We reach the final
lap as we look at each garage and the tension within. As the final
corner approaches, Marco attempts to shoot the gap and go for the win.
Silas effectively blocks him at first but then overcorrects as they
complete the corner and spins out of control. His car slams into the
nearby barrier at full speed, causing his car to burst into a ball of
flames. Marco completes the final stretch and finishes in first with his
old rival Christian finishing second. Romain finishes in third, his
first podium finish, while Vishwas is able to reach the top ten.
Sirens
are blaring as a hush falls over the spectators at the Monaco Grand
Prix. Some rush forward to get a closer look at what they see on the
track, others stay back with tears in their eyes. An ambulance speeds
its way through the track to finally arrive at the site of a fiery crash
that is still being extinguished. In the stands, Anna looks on in
horror as does Diego in the garage. The crews work to extract Silas from
the vehicle while the drivers who crossed the finish line exit their
car to look on. Marco, instead of celebrating, runs to the stands to
comfort Anna in this moment. She sinks into his arms as he reassures her
that it will turn out OK.
After a delay, a somber podium
ceremony is held as can finally celebrate his first Drivers'
Championship. Oliver gives him a firm hug before saying he has personal
issues he needs to solve. Monica congratulates Romain on his first
podium finish and says that she hopes they see more of that next season.
Runner-up Christian Richenbacher confidently smiles as he proved that
he still has something in him. As the American national anthem plays,
Marco abstains from celebrating with the champaign and instead raises
the bottle in Silas's honor.
The camera slowly moves away from the city as a television report recaps the events of the day.
Marco
Silva became the first American driver in almost 50 years to win the F1
Driver's Championship as he also helped lead Team Honda to finally
dethroning Adonis as Constructors' Champions. He will need a new
teammate next year as reports coming out of the press are that Callum
Forshaw is leaving his father behind and joining Team Verducci. Adonis
will also see changes as Vishwas Chaddha replaces Christian
Richenbacher, whose future remains a mystery. The latest word on Silas
Song is that he is conscious but cannot feel his lower extremities. We
all send out our best wishes to a legend of the sport.THE DAY AFTER
Christian
wakes up sore and checks his phone for the latest updates on Silas's
condition. He leaves the hotel and his taxi arrives to take him to the
airport. He tells the driver he's spent too much time in a car this
weekend and, hell, his entire life. He's just going to walk. He begins
striding down the streets of Monte Carlo as fans approach him for
autographs and he seems at peace with himself.
