Italian Race (2016) User Reviews (8)

teens, speed and drugs in a good Italian drama

[dromasca · 7/10 · 6 April 2017]

'Veloce come il vento' (which translates 'fast as the wind' - but got the English title Italian Race is a quite original combination between a teen drama, a car races story (including the corresponding stunts) and a moralistic story about what (mostly bad) drugs do to people. All is based on a true story, or at least the true characters of a brother and sister in a race cars pilots family. The result is a fresh film, with enough drama and good acting to keep the interest of the viewers and confirm that the Italian cinema is the place where one can find lately more and more interesting films.

Giulia de Martino (Matilda De Angelis) is racing cars although she is just 17 and does not even have a driving license. This is apparently possible in Italy especially if you are born into a car racing family, and her father is trainer and mentor. The film actually opens with the death of her father, and we are soon in family drama territory, with a drug addicted brother showing up and settling in the house which is also inhabited by the younger brother. To keep the house the girl must go on racing, and the unsettling brother proves to be an ex-pilot, fallen out of the path of life or races because of his addiction. What follows is a combination of coming-to-age and family drama combined with spectacular car races, and some melodrama. We eventually learn that the smile on the face of a kid is more important that money, or even houses, or even winning in car races.

Much of the film attraction is due to the splendid performances of the two lead actors Stefano Accorsi and Matilda De Angelis . Accorsi's character who sees his life destroyed by drugs but keeps trying to be a good person is poignant, while De Angelis is smart and beautiful and her work here may draw the attention of the international scene, she has all the looks and skills for success. Director Matteo Rovere seems to specialized in films about the problems of teenagers, here is broadening the scope with the exploration of the world of the car races (legal and illegal). The result is a film which looks fresh and true and keeps the interest of viewers even if car races or teenagers problems are not their preferred themes.

After twenty years of darkness, finally an unpretentious good movie from Italy

[wulfthar · 8/10 · 25 September 2016]

Once upon a time there was the Italian Cinema: until the 90s they were able to make almost any kind of genre film with any kind of budget (or lack of).

Then Berlusconi took over all the majors and faithful to the Latin Motto "panem et circenses" he filled all the theaters with mindless comedies with his pretorians Boldi and the De Sica and their fine humour based on big tits (usually silicon based, not natural), big asses, farts and various vulgarities. It worked well because for twenty years he could have directly or indirectly the control of the country.

Now that his cinematographic dictatorship is almost over something starts to re-emerge: I can say for sure that this is the first Italian movie I have enjoyed since more or less Trauma and the last Italian horrors of the early 90s.

The story is a sort of composition/homage of the real lives of a famous and unfortunate rally driver and a young teenage girl who tried to became a GT driver in the Italian championship.

The movie starts from this premise making them estranged brother and sister that come together after the untimely death of their father, who left the girl with a Porsche 996GT but no money for the team. Plus, he also mortgaged their own house to fulfil her dream, but without money all her crew but the old chief mechanic (who is also the narrator of the story) leaves her. There is no other option but to accept the offer of help from his heroin addicted older brother, once a great racer in the early 90s/late 80s but now reduced to a pathetic figure due to his late stage drug addiction. Another threat derives by the presence of a third brother, six years old that might be taken by the social services as the sister is still underage, without work and the older brother and his girlfriend they can't evidently take care of themselves.

Besides the mortgage and a Porsche with no team, their father also left them the older brother's Peugeot 205 GT Turbo Group B, a real monster for that era,that might be also of some use in the case the money runs out and some of them might need to participate to a clandestine race more interesting that the usual Fast and Furious BS....

That's the plot in a nutshell, regarding the casting, they all make their job fine, especially the chief mechanic, Accorsi's portrait of a long term addicted is believable, the photography is nice but it shows a overuse of popularizing filters that saturate the colors in a disturbing way sometimes, and unlike many Italian movie it has a proper script that besides the boring "Italian style" ending is believable and not too corny.

IMO the movie is recommendable for a larger (read international) audience as it does show very well a slice of Emilian/Romagnan (North-Central Italy) very different from the Roman "Grande Bellezza" (in reality Grande Bruttezza) or the degraded South of Gomorra: Italy is ALSO what you will see in this movie.

8 out of 10 because I didn't like the ending.

Winning the race, winning the family.

[Reno-Rangan · 7/10 · 24 November 2016]

The film was loosely based on the true story of some Italian rally racer. I didn't recognise any of the actors or the director, but I really enjoyed watching it. The film was two hours long, but worth giving a try. I anticipated something different, though what I got was kind of unexpected. If you read the title correctly, you as well think it is a pure race film. The film was well balanced between sports and the family drama. As well as there some funs and highlights the family bond, particularly about the siblings. It was a quite good film for me, but then it all depends on your interest that will decide how much you are going to like it.

It is about a teen GT racer whose father had died during she was racing. After the incident, her life begins to fall apart. She's surviving with a younger brother, but their mother left them a long ago. Not so certain about their future, especially the house which they are going to lose soon if she lose the upcoming race. That's where her older brother who ran off long ago comes back. But he's a junkie and needed a place, so comes crashing down with her in the house. Despite his condition, she learns his capability, so offers him a job. Now this duo, as a family and professionally, what they are going to achieve is what follows in the remaining segments.

In some parts, the older brother character seemed like a intentional. Like since his entry and his behaviour, most of the viewers would know where this story is going to head. But there are some turns in the midsection, in addition to give depth to his character, as well as to the story. I mean to define how he's changing along the story progression. Though when the film started, he was like in a supporting role, and then the takeover had happened slowly and unexpectedly. Particularly the end event, I did not think he would be on the roll.

"I take a curve at 200 mph and you are worried if I have sex?"

On the other end, I was looking for that young racer to give some spectacular stunt sequences. Then realised this is not a 'Fast and Furious' kind film, but the conclusion was. Yep, I did not expect that after what I saw in the previous 95 per cent of the narration. Because it was like a struggle between desperate to accomplish in a sport and saving themselves from the legal life, since they both are minors. Like I said before, theirs older brother was designed to influence on them in a situation like this.

Don't go for it thinking it is a sport film, especially impossible high end stunts. The races were the part of the film, but focused on different points in the different segments. Mostly about the life events. Very interesting characters. Three sibling, but belong to three different generations. Theirs bonding was the highlight.

The actors who played those roles were superb. In the first half it was that teen girl and then her older brother in the remaining narration. His final race event was what this film turned into a different perspective. More like the 'Fast and Furious' kind, so I think if they are planning for a sequel, they should focus on that kind of plot. Because that will commercialise the product and makes to promote the film itself internationally. Originally it was about the family, so I afraid that does not happen.

The overall film was interesting enough to hook with it, but if you had seen lots of Hollywood films on the same theme, you won't be pleased with the race events, except maybe the final one. One of the reasons is that it is a drama-sports, not an action or thriller or a crime- sports. The film was overwhelmed by the drama ingredient. No cops, no villain involved. If they do, not excessively. I think they did not spend much on the film production, though the quality was so good. Whatever the others thought, for me it was just a good film. One time watchable film. I did not like it as much I can suggest it to the others, so I hope you would make a right choice on this.

7/10

Veloce come il Vento: Every family could use a pothead brother.

[niutta-enrico · 7/10 · 10 August 2016]

Despite some awful music (and some really bad acting) this was a nice film. Set in the land where the heart of Italian racing passion beats harder, this was the story of a young girl and her two brothers.

I can't say precisely if it were a drama or a comedy nor can I say which was its style. Let's say it was less funny than 'Mediterraneo', more predictable than 'The Best Offer' and not as entertaining as 'Io e mia Sorella'. Nevertheless it had something in common with these very good titles.

Movies like this could be good for Italian Cinema: in my Country, knowingly or not, we all are looking for a new National style of which to be proud.

Italian cinema is reaching out!

[poppingame · 10/10 · 18 April 2016]

Finally, Italian cinema is ACTUALLY starting to come out! From "Perfect Strangers", to "They called him Jeeg Robot" to this! Stefano Accorsi is absolutely fantastic and so is Matilda De Angelis. The music is really gripping, just like the story. It's very well developed without stupid "pushes" for the plot to go forward. The relationship between Stefano and Matilda (brother and sister in the film) is near perfect, and emotional at times. The contrast between a young girl and her brother, who is a drug addict, is portrayed in such a subtle manner that it outshines most big productions, and proves you don't need a huge budget to make a good film. It is, truly, a beautiful Italian film. The type we haven't seen for a very long time.

Veloce come il vento / Italian Race (2016) - a pleasant surprise

[admin-13705 · 9/10 · 10 September 2017]

Veloce come il vento (2016), literally "fast as the wind", is a beautiful film of the new Italian Cinematography that has started to re- emerge in the last few years with very good films. Italian Race, English title, is one of them.

What made a lasting impression on me was how believable and genuine the story was and the relation between Stefano and Matilda, brother and sister, was faultless. Superb performances by these two. The soundtrack was fantastic throughout the movie.

Really stunned!

[fren-460-709852 · 1/10 · 16 September 2016]

How could be possible to be able to dedicate this movie to our dear friend and exceptional rally driver Carlo Capone it sounds to me shameful! Carlo Capone never got close to the drugs world or even expressed any approval about it! He always been an incredible talent and an European Rally Champion of in-discussed capacity and value, that some disagreeable company/business decisions could take /bring him down. His health conditions have no relations to drugs abuse or addiction.. the problem is of psychological origin. Problem originated by the non acknowledgement of his fantastic capability and authoritativeness driving top rally cars at the highest level. The movie is well far from paint an accurate image of the car racing world, that in the reality is serious minded and professional. The actors have done a very good job on a grey fantasy story that somebody have tried to corroborate/validated with a dedication totally out of place! Honor and friendship to our mistreated friend Carlo Capone.

The circuit as the contrapuntal structure of the musical fugue

[luigicavaliere · 3/10 · 14 February 2019]

The circuit of rally is as the structure of the musical fugue: the voices are repeated in slight variations like the curves of the circuit. But the movie is as an unfinished and predictable race