RUSH

Last week I went to see RUSH at the movie theater. For those who have not heard of it yet, I will give a short summary of the plot. The film is based on a real story, more precisely on the beginning of Niki Lauda’s career as a racecar driver. The plot mainly focuses on the rivalry between Niki Lauda and the British driver James Hunt. While Lauda is portrayed as the disciplined Austrian perfectionist, Hunt was more of a charismatic playboy. Both were exceptionally skilled and determined to win the Formula One world championship in 1976.  This was also the year when Niki Lauda’s horrific car accident took place…

I will not give any more details, but I absolutely recommend the movie to all of you. Even though I am really not into Formula One and I have to admit I have not even seen an entire race in my life, the movie completely captivated me. Furthermore,  even if you are Austrian and therefore are partly familiar with Niki Lauda’s story, the movie is still very exciting and thrilling.

Here are some more reasons why it is a good idea to watch the movie:

1. Considering how rare it is that an international film about an Austrian person is shot, I think we ought to watch it and be familiar with the person’s story.

Brühl and Hemsworth

2. It is a really catchy and entertaining movie. In addition, there are some aspects which make the movie extremely interesting from a psychological point of view, for example: the differences between Hunt and Lauda, their rivalry, but also their respect for each other, as well as Lauda’s willpower after his accident.

Hunt and Lauda

3. Personally, I was impressed by how accurately the actors Daniel Brühl and Chris Hemsworth impersonated Lauda and Hunt. Especially after having seen a documentary on the making of the film, which featured some real video material, I realized how well they acted. Apart from looking very similar, also their behavior and even speech was very well adapted. I know that impersonating a person is an actor’s job, but the direct comparison still impressed me.




Here is a short clip that shows interviews with Brühl, Hemsworth, director Ron Howard and Niki Lauda. The interviews were conducted at the film's premiere in London. Try to pay attention to Niki Lauda's accent and the way Brühl tries to imitate it. It is even more evident in the movie and I can only agree with most critics who say that Brühl did an incredible job in terms of speech adaption.