Olivia Wilde

VOD film review: Don’t Worry Darling

November 12, 2022 | David Farnor

Florence Pugh is superb in Olivia Wilde’s ambitious but underbaked thriller.Read More

Movies Reviews Sky + NOW

Richard Jewell review: A tense, emotional true life drama

April 29, 2020 | Mike Williams

Strong performances and tight direction power Clint Eastwood’s tense, emotional and darkly amusing true life drama.Read More

Movies Netflix UK Reviews

Netflix UK film review: Booksmart

December 29, 2019 | David Farnor

This entertaining, warm-hearted high school movie is one of 2019’s funniest films.Read More

Channel 4 Movies Reviews

VOD film review: A Vigilante

June 6, 2019 | David Farnor

Olivia Wilde delivers a gruelling, gripping performance in this hard-hitting revenge thriller.Read More

Movies Reviews Sky + NOW

VOD film review: Life Itself (2018)

January 2, 2019 | David Farnor

Dan Fogelman’s overwrought ensemble drama drowns in its own sentiment.Read More

Movies Netflix UK Reviews

Netflix UK film review: The Lazarus Effect

October 20, 2015 | Matthew Turner

This low-budget horror squanders its potential with generic jump-scares.Read More

Disney+ UK Movies Reviews

VOD film review: TRON: Legacy

June 18, 2014 | David Farnor

This stunning but disappointing TRON sequel is blue, shiny, and ultimately shallow.Read More

ITVX Movies Netflix UK

VOD film review: Rush

January 20, 2014 | David Farnor

irector: Ron Howard Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde Certificate: 15 "25 people start and each year, two die." That's James Hunt (Hemsworth) explaining Formula One. It sounds exciting but in real life, it's far from it. Cars going around in circles for hours on end? It's repetitive. Boring, even. You'd expect Rush, then, a film about exactly that, to be just as dull. It isn't. On the big screen, it's far from it. "What kind of person does a job like this?" continues Hunt. Rush finds out. And the answer is thrilling. Reuniting after Frost/Nixon, director Ron Howard and writer Peter Morgan cook up the same heated rivalry between two very different men: hunky Brit playboy Hunt and the ruthlessly logical Niki Lauda (Bruhl). Brushing up against each other in Formula Three, they both buy their way into the big league - polar opposites destined to attract trouble. As with their last collaboration, there are contrivances. Changing details for dramatic convenience, what could have been a biopic has been streamlined with machine-tooled precision. Morgan hasn't just written a film: he's crafted a collision course. Fortunately, it's one between two fantastic actors. Lining up to crash, the two leads flesh out their roles, giving the on-rails script real dramatic horsepower. The magnetic Bruhl is cool and driven as Lauda - it's hard to believe this is the same boy who starred in Good Bye Lenin! all those years ago - while Hemsworth is electric as Hunt, a man whose life makes his reckless driving look restrained. All hair and teeth, when he's on screen, it's impossible to look anywhere else. Howard uses these characters to hook us into his broadly familiar tale, giving us a reason to care about the cold machines driving in circles. He doesn't skimp on those, either: expertly cutting together archive footage, new set pieces and CGI work, the race scenes sizzle as though Tony Scott were behind the camera. And when things go wrong (as they inevitably do) and people get caught in the flames, the emotional impact is as powerful as the adrenaline rush beforehand. There are occasional skids - some burn make-up looks straight out of BBC's Casaulty, while, like Formula One, it feels a tad overlong - but Hemsworth and Bruhl are too charismatic for you to care. Supported by immaculate period detail - Hunt's hair, the jumpsuits, Olivia Wilde's model girlfriend and did I mention the hair? - Rush is a finely-tuned clash of egos, which matches sentiment with speed. Formula One may be boring in real life, but Howard's drama is engaging enough to entertain non-fans of the sport - even with its inaccuracies, a mark of success. Hunt strokes his car early on, while seducing his future wife. "It’s a bomb on wheels," he purrs. That's exactly what Rush is. Your heart will be ticking every minute.

Ron Howard’s streamlined story of Formula 1 rivalry delivers a thrilling rush of adrenaline.Read More

Amazon Prime Disney+ UK Movies

VOD film review: In Time

December 27, 2013 | David Farnor

It’s Omega load of nonsense, but this high-concept sci-fi thriller is a fun, suspense-filled watch.Read More