Neill Blomkamp’s biopic delves into the fascinating journey of a teenager from Cardiff who transitions from virtual racing to the real thing in Gran Turismo. Video games often carry a negative reputation, conjuring images of isolated individuals in dimly lit rooms, missing out on life’s opportunities. However, what if these gaming skills could be applied in the real world?
Taking place in 2011, we meet Jann Mardenborough, a lanky teenager whose obsession with Gran Turismo consumes his waking hours. His father, Steve, and mother, portrayed by Geri Halliwell, are far from impressed by his fixation. However, everything changes for Jann when he is chosen to compete in a prestigious racing competition.
The GT Academy brings together ten of the world’s top Gran Turismo players to race real cars on a track. The ultimate prize is a chance to become a professional race driver, representing sponsors Sony and Nissan on the international stage. Jann initially struggles with the transition from simulator to the race track, even crashing one of the cars. But with the guidance of Jack Salter, a gruff former driver and mechanic, Jann emerges victorious and begins his professional racing journey in Japan.
To obtain his racing driver’s license, Jann must finish at least fourth in six races. However, the experienced professional racers harbor animosity towards “the gamers” and resort to dirty tricks to impede his progress. One cannot help but question how Sony and Nissan insured a competition involving gamers let loose in high-performance cars, especially considering the potential risks involved.
From a marketing perspective, Jann Mardenborough may not have been the ideal winner. Shy and soft-spoken, he lacked the exuberant charisma typically sought after by the GT Academy. Nevertheless, his performances on the race track spoke volumes, showcasing his remarkable talent.
The highlight of Gran Turismo lies in its gripping race sequences, particularly the climactic one at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Skillful camerawork and thrilling stunts, some performed by Jann Mardenborough himself, provide viewers with a taste of the simultaneous terror and exhilaration experienced in motorsports. However, the film struggles to find a cohesive dramatic tone, dragging on for at least thirty minutes longer than necessary and burdened by clumsy marketing efforts and product placements.
Orlando Bloom makes an appearance as Danny Moore, a Nissan marketing executive loosely based on real-life businessman Darren Cox. Unfortunately, Bloom’s portrayal is overly high-strung, lacking depth and nuance. Thankfully, David Harbour brings a much-needed sense of realism to his role as Jack Salter, infusing his character with grumpiness and regret.
While Archie Madekwe showcases his likability and charm as Jann Mardenborough, the supporting characters feel underdeveloped and one-dimensional. They are merely accessories to Jann’s story, serving as girlfriends, competitors, allies, or enemies.
Geri Halliwell appears pleasantly surprised to be playing an ordinary suburban citizen, and her acting is on par with the rest of the cast; neither exceptionally outstanding nor notably deficient.
Although Jann Mardenborough’s journey is undeniably captivating, this particular film fails to fully capture its true essence. Gran Turismo receives a modest two-star rating.
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