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Movie Review: ‘F1 The Movie’
Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

‘F1 The Movie’ receives 10 out of 10 stars

‘F1 The Movie’ directed by Joseph Kosinski (‘Top Gun: Maverick‘) opens in theaters on June 27, 2025. The film stars Brad Pitt (‘Fight Club’), Javier Bardem (‘No Country for Old Men’), Kerry Condon (‘The Banshee of Inisherin’), Tobias Menzies (‘Game of Thrones’) and Damson Idris (‘Outside the Wire’).

Initial Thoughts

A scene from Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Director Joseph Kosinski masterfully put together a dream team, both in front of and behind the camera, to deliver a perfectly orchestrated high octane thrill ride that is expertly choreographed. The movie will pull you in and have you at the edge of your seats with excitement and have viewers cheering along with the race fans in the film. With a heartwarming underdog story and plenty of laughs in between, both new and old Formula One race fans will be taken on an adrenaline ride full of excitement.

Story and Direction

Director/Producer Joseph Kosinski on the set of Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

When the trailer for ‘F1 The Movie’ was released, it did an amazing job at building suspense, showing action packed moments and explaining the plot of the film. But in case you missed it, the film follows Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a driver that is known as a bit of a reckless cowboy who never quite made it but appears to not have a care in the world, even if he is known as “the greatest that never was.” When Sonny’s old friend Ruben (Javier Bardem), a former driver turned team owner, is about to lose his team he turns to Sonny for help, offering him one last shot at being the best driver in the world. The pressure is on, and Sonny holds the fate of the entire team as well as the ego filled, up and coming driver and his Formula One teammate Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), in the palm of his hands. Keeping viewers in suspense all while waiting to discover if he will be able to save the team or if he will blow it all up to pieces.

When we meet Sonny he is leaving a race and seems to live moment to moment, without a care in the world, always heading to the next race. After deciding to join Ruben’s team, Sonny is the black sheep always moving to the beat of his own drum and not quite meshing with the extremely well-oiled pit and tech crew of the APXGP F1 team. Butting heads with the team’s technical director Kate (Kerry Condon), who has her own points to prove is fun to watch, but it’s the rival tension between Sonny and Joshua Pearce that becomes the driving force of what could make or break the fate of the entire F1 crew and the film itself.

A scene from Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Putting together the perfect crew of his own, Kosinski brings the same action-packed intensity he gave viewers with ‘Top Gun: Maverick” this time trading fighter jets for F1 cars and once again putting viewers directly in the driver’s seat. Working seamlessly with F1 creating an authentic experience for F1 fans, while also teaching a master class on F1 for viewers who don’t know anything about the sport was just one of the highlights of Kosinski’s excellent direction.

Taking a story about a team about to lose everything and carefully weaving the lives and careers of two drivers that couldn’t be more different is where the film builds an entirely different sort of tension and experience that every movie fan will utterly enjoy. Each morsel of information or backstory given feeling as if it was earned by trust, making you feel as if you are part of the process, like a gift from the film to its viewer.

But it is in the third act of the film that Kosinski’s craft of perfection is truly shown to its fullest. Taking powerful and action-packed adrenaline-fueled driving sequences and carefully sewing them between emotionally driven heart tugging moments that will keep viewers at the edge of their seats with bated breath. Putting both Brad Pitt and Damson Idris in the drivers seat of an actual Formula One car at 200 MPH, may have been a risk, but the payoff was the reward of once again delivering audiences both extraordinary action sequences with an authentic and visceral F1 experience.

Performances

(L to R) Damson Idris as Joshua Pearce and Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Brad Pitt gives a brilliant performance as Sonny Hayes, he is the perfect fit as the icon, the rough and tumble cowboy driver who has nothing and everything to lose. Pitt has been known for his love of both driving and speed over the years and looks completely comfortable in the driver’s seat even at top speeds. His performance in the final sequence of the film is what had the potential to make or break the film as a whole, and he met it with passion and brilliance that left a long lasting impression.

Damson Idris nails the cocky and arrogant, while still wet behind the ear’s teammate Joshua Pearce. He brought emotion and depth to an extremely layered character and held his own in every scene. Kerry Condon was perfection as the team’s first female technical director who’s lost her confidence and feels like she has something to prove. And the scenes of her character sparring with Pitts character were always enjoyable.

But there is something about Javier Bardem’s performance that to me ties everything together on an emotional level in the end that stands out on its own and should be applauded. Because in the end it’s all about the love of driving.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes and Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

When you think about what they did to achieve the authenticity of this film it is absolutely extraordinary. They took an idea and a story and to make that a reality they quite literally embedded an entire film crew into a F1 season on every track, in every country all while maintaining the integrity of a sport. They put actors in F1 cars at top speeds alongside F1 drivers and crews, with F1 fans in the stands. All to give viewers the ride of their lives. They took shots in minutes that most movies take a day just to set up. The sheer magnitude of that alone should have movie fans everywhere lining up to see this film on the big screen.

Kosinski alongside producer Jerry Bruckheimer (‘Top Gun: Maverick’) and seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton took every vital step and then some to give audiences the most authentic and what Pitt calls “the most visceral driving experience that’s ever been put on film.” With an almost nostalgic feel of the best action movies of the 80’s and 90’s paired with an incredible and at times heart pumping score from Hans Zimmer paced perfectly in every scene, ‘F1 The Movie’ is everything I want in a movie going experience and should be experienced in the theatre.
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What is the plot of ‘F1”?

Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a Formula One driver who raced in the 1990s, has a horrible crash, forcing him to retire from Formula One and start racing in other disciplines. A Formula One team owner and friend, Ruben (Javier Bardem), contacts Hayes and asks him to come out of retirement to mentor rookie prodigy Joshua “Noah” Pearce (Damson Idris) for the Apex Grand Prix team (APXGP).

Who is in the cast of ‘F1 The Movie’?
- Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes
- Damson Idris as Joshua “Noah” Pearce
- Kerry Condon as Kate
- Tobias Menzies as Banning
- Kim Bodnia as Kaspar
- Javier Bardem as Ruben
- Shea Whigham as Chip Hart
- Joseph Balderrama as Rico Fazio
- Sarah Niles as Bernadette
- Samson Kayo as Cashman
- Callie Cooke as Jodie
Director/Producer Joseph Kosinski on the set of Apple Original Films’ ‘F1,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

List of Joseph Kosinski Movies:
- ‘TRON: Legacy‘ (2010)
- ‘Oblivion‘ (2013)
- ‘Only the Brave‘ (2017)
- ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘ (2022)
- ‘Spiderhead‘ (2022)
- ‘F1‘ (2025)
Buy Tickets: ‘F1 The Movie’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Joseph Kosinski Movies on Amazon
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June 17, 2025
‘F1’ Trailer Press Conference: Joseph Kosinski and Lewis Hamilton
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The new trailer for ‘F1’ dropped today, and you can watch it above.

Scheduled to open in theaters on June 25th is the new film ‘F1’, which takes place in the world of Formula One racing. Directed by Joseph Kosinski (‘Top Gun Maverick’), the movie stars Brad Pitt (‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’), Damson Idris (‘Snowfall’), Kerry Condon (‘The Banshees of Inisherin’), and Javier Bardem (‘No Country for Old Men’).

Director/Producer Joseph Kosinski on the set of Apple Original Films’ ‘F1,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Related Article: Brad Pitt to Reunite with ‘Fury’ Director David Ayer for Wilderness Survival Thriller ‘Heart of the Beast’

Earlier this week, Moviefone had the pleasure of attending a virtual press conference, along with other members of the press, for ‘F1’ featuring director Joseph Kosinski, and a video introduction from Lewis Hamilton, producer and Formular One World Champion.

Here’s what Kosinski and Hamilton had to say about making ‘F1’.

The Champion Speaks

The press conference began with an introduction from Formula One World Champion race driver Lewis Hamilton, who is also a producer on the film.

“Joe (Kosinski), Jerry (Bruckheimer), Brad (Pitt), the cast and the whole filmmaking team put an incredible amount of effort to deliver a genuine Formula One racing experience, unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before on screen. As you may have heard, the film was shot during the F1 races over the course of a season, and with Joe at the helm, audiences around the globe are going to feel like they’re on the track and in the driver’s seat.”

Hamilton went on to discuss working with Brad Pitt and his commitment to the project.

“Watching Brad drive around speeds over 180 miles an hour was impressive to see because it’s not something you can just learn overnight. The dedication and the focus that Brad put into this process has been amazing to witness. This film has got it all. Brad Pitt, speed, thrills, an epic underdog story, drama, humor, and a little bit of romance.”

Finally, Hamilton expressed his pride in the film and promised something for Formular One fans and non-fans alike.

“You may even recognize some familiar faces from the world of Formula One racing. As someone who’s dedicated his whole life to this sport, I’m so honored to have worked alongside this team of actors and filmmakers. This has been such a thrill for me. I genuinely promise this film delivers on every level.”

Why Formula One?

After Hamilton’s introduction, director Joseph Kosinski discussed why he wanted to make a movie about Formula One racing.

“Well, I think like a lot of people during Covid, I found myself starting to watch the races and found this great television show called ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’. I found that it’s an incredibly unique sport in that your teammate is also your, in many ways, your greatest competition. For me, that makes for a great drama. I also loved how the first season of the show focused on the last place teams, the underdogs rather than the Ferrari, the Mercedes, the Red Bull, the teams that you see at the front of the pack. I thought that there was an interesting story to be told about an underdog team trying to not win the championship, but just trying to win one race against these titans of the sport. So that’s where it started. Lucky for me, I had a contact who was in Formula One that I could reach out to, so I did.”

Commitment to Authenticity

Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ ‘F1,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films.

Kosinski discussed what steps he took to make sure the race scenes looked as authentic and accurate as possible.

“Well, the first thing I did was I reached out to Lewis Hamilton who gave that incredible intro, and obviously he lives that sport every day. He’s one of the greatest of all time and I asked him to be my partner on making this film. So having Lewis gave me this incredible in into this world, and one of the people he introduced me to was Toto Wolf, the team principal of Mercedes. I started talking with them about wanting to capture the speed of this sport, and It was actually Toto who came up with the idea of rather than making a movie car fast enough to achieve these speeds, but he said, “Why don’t you start with a race car and take a real race car and then work the cameras that you need into that”. So, we did that. We bought six F2 cars, real F2 race cars and worked with Mercedes AMG, the Formula One team and their engineers to build real race cars that could carry our camera equipment recorders and transmitters for making this film. So, every time you see Brad or Damson driving in this movie, they’re driving on their own in one of these real race cars on a real F1 track. So that’s kind of how we approached the making of this film.”

Kosinski also talked about the research he did to prepare for the movie.

“It’s one of the nice benefits of making a movie about Formula One is a lot of research, a lot of travel, and I got to see amazing tracks all over the world. One thing I really love about Formula One is every race has its own character and every weekend it’s very different. We end the film in Abu Dhabi, which is this incredible track that is just a spectacular way to end the film. But every track has its own personality, its own character, and because we went to all these places for real, you really feel like you’ve gone around the world when you watch the movie.”

Shooting the Racing Scenes

Coming off the success of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, Kosinski explained how that movie prepared him for this film and how he was able to capture the incredible Formula One race scenes and bring that excitement and action to the big screen.

“I mean, the big challenge was just the camera system itself. We had to develop a brand-new camera system taking everything we learned on ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and pushing it much further. You can’t put 60 pounds of gear onto a race car and expect it’s going to perform the same way. So, we took those ‘Top Gun’ cameras and we worked closely with Sony, sizing them down to something about a quarter of the size. Then on top of that, something I really wanted to do on this film was to be able to operate and move the cameras while we were shooting, which was something we couldn’t do on ‘Top Gun’. So, we have motorized mounts on the car as well. So, you have transmitters that are transmitting the picture back. We’ve got transmitters controlling the movement of the camera. I’m sitting at the base station with Claudio (Miranda), our cinematographer looking at 16 screens. I’ve got camera operators on the controls for the cameras and it’s calling out. The Camera moves like a live television show while they’re shooting. So much research and technology and development went into just being able to roll a frame of footage in addition to the training for the actors and the logistics of shooting at a real race. So, it was a lot of prep to be able to pull this off.”

Kosinski shot some scenes during real Formula One Championship races and explained the complications of trying to execute those scenes in a small window of time.

“I mean, the tracks, the locations are one thing, but on race weekend, it just becomes this whole different world. It’s like a traveling circus. So, we couldn’t just shoot at the track without the race going on. It would’ve been the wrong dynamic. So, we were there on race weekend with hundreds of thousands of people watching us finding these slots between practice and qualifying, that Formula One graciously afforded us. So, we’d get these 10- or 15-minute slots where we’d have to have Brad and Damson ready in the cars, warmed up with and ready to go, and as soon as practice ended, they would pull out onto the track. We’d have 24 to 30 cameras ready, rolling, and I’d have to shoot these scenes in these very short, intense, high-speed windows. But the crowd you’re seeing was there in the stands. I don’t think the crowd realized that Brad Pitt was in the car that was in front of them. So, there was this heightened quality to every race. We were also shooting dramatic scenes on the grid before races, so it was a unique way of working rather than having a whole day to shoot a scene like you normally would on a movie. We had these 9- or 10-minute slots, so it was like a live stage play, but in front of hundreds of thousands of people shooting at 180 miles an hour, literally. So, it was an adrenaline rush every weekend, but what we captured is something you can’t fake, you can’t stage. it was like game day. I remember our first day shooting at Silverstone (racetrack) with Javier (Bardem), Brad and Tobias Menzies. I literally had a piece of paper with, it looked like an American football diagram of where everyone had to stand and walk and where you had moved to. It was like we looked at it and it was like, break, let’s go do this. I think we got three takes in seven minutes or something and got what you see in the film. But the actors, you feel that in their performance, they know it’s like, we’re not going to get 15 tries at it. You got to nail it.”

Driving School

‘F1’ opens in theaters on June 27, 2025.

Actors Brad Pitt and Damson Idris had to learn to drive real Formula One cars for the film and Kosinski discussed how Hamilton helped in their training.

“Brad and Damson are both driving in this film and to get them into these race cars, it required months, literally months of training. But the first day was fun. It was me, Brad and Lewis Hamilton at the track together, all of us jumping in cars and driving each other around in sports cars. Which was one of those things, I’ll never forget having Lewis Hamilton as your driving instructor. But what we learned and what Lewis was really interested was seeing did Brad know how to drive right? Because if Brad can’t drive, this whole film wasn’t going to work. What Lewis was very happy to discover was that Brad had a lot of just natural ability right from the start, and I don’t know where he got that or if he was born with it, but he rides motorcycles, which I think has something to do with it. He’s just a very talented, naturally blessed driver, which for Lewis, gave him a lot of confidence that we might have a shot at pulling this off. He just had that natural feel for grip in the car and what we’re doing on this film is dangerous. So yeah, you must be fearless, and when you see Brad driving, that’s not acting. He’s really concentering on keeping that car on the track and out of the wall during all those scenes. So that’s something that you just can’t fake, I think. I hope the audience feels that when they watch the movie.”

Finding the Right Story

The director talked about how important it was to find the right script and unique characters for ‘F1’.

“It always starts with a great script and a great story. I knew that no matter how accurate or exciting the racing is, it doesn’t mean anything if you’re not telling a story supported with great characters. So, it all starts with the script, and I worked with Ehren Kruger, who also worked on ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. He wrote an incredible script for us to start with. This story has everything. It has the tension you would expect in a movie like this with all the action, but at the same time, there’s real heart here, especially in the story of Sonny Hayes and this kind of redemption journey he’s on. There’s humor in there, there’s some romance, there’s a little bit of everything that you need to tell a fully fleshed out rich story like this.”

The Cast

(L to R) Damson Idris and Brad Pitt in ‘F1’. Photo: Warner Bros. and Apple Original FIlms.

The director also discussed his exceptional cast and what it was like to work with Oscar winners Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem.

“The most important thing a director does beyond developing the script is casting. Casting is everything. The group of actors that we pulled together for this film is incredible. Javier Bardem and Brad together, their friendship, which is an old one- three decades old, really is the core of this story and of this film and just seeing them together on screen is special. Kerry Condon, she’s incredible. She plays the team technical director, so she’s the person in charge of designing the car and the engineers and the drivers. There’s some healthy tension there on every team, and it makes for a great relationship between the two of them. Then Damson Iris, who people might know from his television career (‘Snowfall’), but maybe not from the movies. I’m really excited for people to see him here going toe to toe with Brad on a big screen and a big story. So, we have an incredible cast of supporting actors as well. It’s a great ensemble.”

Is ’F1’ for Racing Fans Only?

“Not at all,” answered Kosinski and the director went on to assure audiences that they don’t need to be Formula One fans to enjoy the movie.

“This is a movie about friendship, teamwork, sacrifice, and redemption. The story I think is universal. It’s just set in this incredibly exciting world of Formula One, and if you are a Formula One fan, I think you’re going to like this movie. If you don’t know anything about Formula One, I think you’re going to like this movie and you might come out wanting to watch some races or maybe even go to a race. So yeah, you don’t need to know anything going in. We’ll teach you everything you need to enjoy this story.”
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What is the plot of ‘F1”?

Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), a Formula One driver who raced in the 1990s, has a horrible crash, forcing him to retire from Formula One and start racing in other disciplines. A Formula One team owner and friend, Ruben (Javier Bardem), contacts Hayes and asks him to come out of retirement to mentor rookie prodigy Joshua “Noah” Pearce (Damson Idris) for the Apex Grand Prix team (APXGP).

Who is in the cast of ‘F1’?
- Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes
- Damson Idris as Joshua “Noah” Pearce
- Kerry Condon as Kate
- Tobias Menzies as Banning
- Kim Bodnia as Kaspar
- Javier Bardem as Ruben
- Shea Whigham as Chip Hart
- Joseph Balderrama as Rico Fazio
- Sarah Niles as Bernadette
- Samson Kayo as Cashman
- Callie Cooke as Jodie
‘F1’ opens in theaters on June 27, 2025.

List of Joseph Kosinski Movies:
- ‘TRON: Legacy‘ (2010)
- ‘Oblivion‘ (2013)
- ‘Only the Brave‘ (2017)
- ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘ (2022)
- ‘Spiderhead‘ (2022)
- ‘F1‘ (2025)
Buy Joseph Kosinski Movies on Amazon
March 13, 2025
Movie Review: ‘You Hurt My Feelings’
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Beth in A24’s ‘You Hurt My Feelings.’

In theaters May 26th, ‘You Hurt My Feelings’ represents a reunion for director Nicole Holofcener and star Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and a welcome one at that.

In an era when adult dramas and comedies have a hard time finding space between giant franchise behemoths crowding the multiplex, it’s reassuring to know that ‘You Hurt My Feelings’ represents the latest reliable low-key laugh-grabber from Holofcener, who specializes in stories of characters obsessed with their emotional and life status, whose worlds are thrown for a loop by unexpected circumstances.
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What’s the story of ‘You Hurt My Feelings’?

The film charts the emotional rollercoaster of married couple Louis-Dreyfus’ Beth (a writer whose memoir was published to some acclaim and whose latest book, a work of fiction, is still in progress) and Don (Tobias Menzies), a therapist who is losing faith in his ability to counsel his increasingly dissatisfied patients and in his own appearance.

Their seemingly happy, if slightly rut-riding marriage is plunged into disarray when Beth overhears Don telling brother-in-law Mark (Arian Moayed) that he doesn’t really like her new novel after reading many drafts. Stunned, Beth begins to question whether he’s ever truly been honest with her, and how real she has been with others in her life, including sister Sarah (Michaela Watkins) and son Eliot (Owen Teague), an aspiring writer himself currently biding his time managing a New York cannabis store.

As the ripples of the unlikely drama spread out through both partners’ work and family groups, real truths start to swim to the surface of this seemingly happy relationship.

Jeannie Berlin as Georgia in A24’s ‘You Hurt My Feelings.’

Who else is in the movie?

Aside from the leads, Holofcener’s latest also features Jeannie Berlin as Beth and Sarah’s grouchy mother Georgia, Amber Tamblyn, David Cross, Zach Cherry and Sarah Steele among Don’s patients, plus Bryan Reynoso, Karolena Greenidge, Doug Moe, Lynnsey Lewis and Claudia Robinson.

(L to R) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Beth and director Nicole Holofcener on the set of A24’s ‘You Hurt My Feelings.’

Related Article: Movie Review: ‘You People’

A welcome reunion

The biggest advantage that ‘Feelings’ has –– beyond Holofcener’s typically incisive, funny script and subtle direction –– is her welcome reunion with Louis-Dreyfus after 2013’s ‘Enough Said’. She may have some way to go to be a Holofcener collaborator on the scale of, say, Catherine Keener, but the two have clearly found a solid vibe.

As Beth, Louis-Dreyfus switches tracks from (mostly) contented wife and mother to puddle of neuroses, perfectly conveying the sort of nervy artistic character yearning for approval from those around them and saddled with a mother (Berlin’s Georgia is more of a standard character type but gives her layers) who is never quite satisfied. Louis-Dreyfus sells every moment of Beth’s journey, turning what could be a frustrating archetype into a relatable woman. She’s given more to do than, say, her turn as Jonah Hill’s overzealous Jewish mother in ‘You People’.

Tobias Menzies as Don in A24’s ‘You Hurt My Feelings.’

As Don, meanwhile, British actor Menzies is also great. Far from being a stock husband in a movie like this, he has his own inner life and a clutch of funny, grumpy therapy clients with their own issues (Cross and Tamblyn bring humorous real-life married couple energy to two of them) and is the perfect twitchy complement to Beth. It’s also entertaining how he’s the sort of therapist quick to offer advice to others about how to figure out their relationships but seemingly stymied by the mildest issue arising in his own.

And their marriage comes across as realistic and nuanced, rather than schticky, even when in the midst of their disagreement.

Yet while Beth and Don are the focus, the film shares the care and attention beyond them, building up Watkins’ Sarah and her frustrations as an interior designer, picking out ever more ridiculous/ugly lamps for a choosy client (Clara Wong’s Ali), and questioning whether she’d be better off ditching the job and finding something more meaningful. Moayed, meanwhile, Sarah’s schlubby actor husband, is dealing with his own career crisis. Mildly successful in movies, he’s now struggling with his latest job in the theater and beginning to wonder whether acting is something he should do at all. More normally found being much slicker and successful on ‘Succession’, Moayed is a great fourth pillar in the central story.

(L to R) Tobias Menzies as Don and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Beth in A24’s ‘You Hurt My Feelings.’

Are there issues?

As is normal for Holofcener, the stakes are incredibly low-level, seen as a problem only really by the people involved. And there is a chance that will turn off some audiences –– is it really possible to truly empathize with wealthy (or at least comfortable) New Yorkers whining about someone not liking their latest work or feeling let down by their professional choices? Fortunately, the writer/director finds the humanity in these characters, and the various actors give you enough to make you care how their stories turn out.

Yet in a movie where there are so many well-drawn characters, it’s only really Eliot who suffers from a slightly undernourished take; it’s no fault of Teague, who offers a funny performance, but he really only has one opportunity to shine, in a minor breakdown in front of his parents about how his mother’s encouragement set him up to fail at life.

But those are relatively minor complaints in the effective new film from a writer/director whose keen sense of comedy and character are undimmed. It’s a pleasure to have new work from Holofcener, and something reliably entertaining for anyone who isn’t drawn to capes fluttering in the wind, or cars racing around the streets.

It might not be quite on the same level as ‘Enough Said’, or the Oscar-nominated, Melissa McCarthy-starring ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’, but ‘You Hurt My Feelings’ is a solid entry in Holofcener’s neuroses-laden character canon.

‘You Hurt My Feelings’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

(L to R) Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Beth and Tobias Menzies as Don in A24’s ‘You Hurt My Feelings.’

Other Movies Similar to ‘You Hurt My Feelings’:
- ‘Friends with Money‘ (2006)
- ‘Jeff, Who Lives at Home‘ (2011)
- ‘Enough Said‘ (2013)
- ‘Sex Tape‘ (2014)
- ‘The Big Sick‘ (2017)
- ‘The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)‘ (2017)
- ‘Uncut Gems‘ (2019)
- ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?‘ (2019)
- ‘Downhill‘ (2020)
- ‘The Last Duel‘ (2021)
- ‘You People‘ (2023)
Buy Tickets: ‘You Hurt My Feelings’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Julia Louis-Dreyfus Movies on Amazon

‘You Hurt My Feelings’ is produced by Likely Story, and FilmNation Entertainment. It is set to release in theaters on May 26th, 2023.
May 28, 2023
‘The Crown’ Teases Season 3 With First Photo of Its New Prince Philip, Tobias Menzies

Netflix

We have a lot more British history and drama to cover in “The Crown” Season 3, and we just got another little sneak peek.

Netflix unveiled the first photo of Tobias Menzies, one of the series’ newcomers, on Tuesday. The actor will play Prince Philip, taking over for Matt Smith as the show enters a new period of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. The age-up between Seasons 2 and 3 meant that several original cast members had to pass the baton to older actors, and we first found out that Menzies had landed the princely role in late March.

The Netflix Twitter account teased the photo with one simple but intriguing word: ambition. Other than that, it was left to fans to create their own impressions of Menzies as the Duke of Edinburgh.

Ambition. pic.twitter.com/u2AVWK1u5c

— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) August 28, 2018

So far, we’ve also gotten a look at photos of the new versions of the queen (Olivia Colman), Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter), and Antony Armstrong-Jones (Ben Daniels). They each came with a simple one word tweet, too: patience, hope, and hurt, respectively. Funnily enough, at least two of those adjectives also apply to us as we wait for the next chapter in the story.

We’ll see a lot more of the new stars when “The Crown” returns. Season 3 is expected to hit Netflix in either late 2018 or in 2019.

August 28, 2018
Why Theo James Bares His Fangs Again in Underworld: Blood Wars

Theo James from Underworld: Blood Wars

Why Theo James Returns to a Vampire Role in Underworld: Blood Wars

First, the politically correct answer.

Ask Theo James of “Underworld: Blood Wars” why fans keep returning to the vampire franchise and he first credits star Kate Beckinsale.

“Kate is the big draw,” he tells Made in Hollywood reporter Patrick Stinson. “She is this franchise. She appeals because she has that kind of genre, tough, bad-ass leading female thing. But she also has a vulnerability there that is also very watchable.”

Then he lists a few other reasons: “Leather, tight tops, occasional cleavage.”

Theo James of Underworld: Blood Wars Got His Big Break in the Franchise

James got his big break three years playing vampire David in “Underworld: Awakening” before going on to stardom in the “Divergent” movies. He calls “Blood Wars” a happy return to the franchise.

“It’s a popcorn film,” he says. “You have to see it as that and not take it too seriously. As a result, it’s a really fun piece of entertainment.”

Theo James Says He Worked Harder This Time on Underworld: Blood Wars

Still the work was a little harder this time around. “Extremely physical,” James says. “This one, it pushes the action sequence boundaries a little bit. It’s trying to do a bit more than it had before. There’s a lot of action.”

“Blood Wars” introduces characters and story lines to keep the series moving forward, even as new director Anna Foerster, taking on a big-screen project after helming episodes of TV’s “Outlander,” “Madam Secretary” and “Criminal Minds,” puts her own stamp on the series.

“She had a very special vision of what she wanted to do,” says James. “She and Kate got on very well. She wanted to bring it back to the inception of the Underworld franchise, which is why we shot in Prague, bring it back to that kind of Gothic vibe, where the inception of the vampire lore begins in the Eastern European area.”

And, of course, she’s careful to keep the key elements, he says: “Lycra, blood, sexual frustration.”
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January 5, 2017
5 Best TV Shows to Watch If You’re a History Buff
With the wealth of historical TV shows and documentaries available these days, you’d think the average history enthusiast would be spoiled for choice. But quantity doesn’t necessarily mean quality (there’s a reason “The Tudors” annoyed purists so much). Whether they’re documentaries about true events, or works of fiction set in historical times — like “Outlander” — the following options are all sound entertainment choices for proud history nerds.

1. ‘Raiders of the Lost Art’ (2014 – )

This highly detailed series is a combination documentary and mystery show, focusing on some of the more infamous art heists in history. Each episode deals with just one theft, so there’s time to really get into the details of what happened to each piece of art. Sure, you might know the Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911, but do you know exactly how it was found, and by whom? What about the real-life Monuments Men trying to discover and return the countless artifacts smuggled by Nazi art dealer Hildebrand Gurlitt during World War II? The use of archival footage and reenactments makes “Raiders of the Lost Art” compelling viewing.

2. ‘Poldark’ (2015 – )

Redcoat soldier Ross Poldark returns to his Cornish home after the Revolutionary War to find his father dead, his lands in ruin, and the woman he loves about to marry his cousin. Bummer. Based on the novels by Winston Graham, “Poldark” is an Anglophile’s dream, with sweeping, gorgeous English landscapes, a haunting soundtrack, and a brooding, complicated hero in Aiden Turner as the title character. History buffs will enjoy flashback sequences set during the War of Independence, as well as a look at life in 18th-century Cornwall from the perspectives of both the rich and the servant class.

3. ‘The Tudors’ (2007 – 2010)

“Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.” The tale of Henry VIII and his six wives remains a source of endless fascination for historians, and for good reason. Henry was a man of contradictions — a man who changed the face of his kingdom by breaking from Rome and setting up the Church of England. He was an educated man, but also a ruthless, vindictive murderer. All these elements make for great TV and “The Tudors” is a good choice for history buffs willing to suspend disbelief for some entertainment. The series is not a serious historical retelling of Henry VIII’s reign. Instead, enjoy it as a historical soap opera with a stellar cast (Natalie Dormer‘s Anne Boleyn is up there with the best of them). A high point is lithe, dark-haired Jonathan Rhys Meyers playing what is supposed to be the old, fat, red-headed Henry. Artistic license was never put to better use.

4. ‘Rome’ (2005 – 2007)

This historical drama details the tumultuous period when Rome changed from a republic into an empire, told through the viewpoints of both the Roman aristocracy and ordinary people. Rome” apart is the sheer scale of production involved in bringing the ancient city to life. History buffs will appreciate the minute attention to detail paid to the show’s costumes, architecture and landscapes.

5. ‘Outlander’ (2014 – )

Based on Diana Gabaldon’s series of books, “Outlander” tells the story of Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe), a married nurse who accidentally travels back in time and falls in love with Highland hunk Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). The background to this love story is the Jacobite uprisings, which culminated in the Scottish rebels being roundly defeated at the 1746 Battle of Culloden. Claire and Jamie do everything they can to prevent the rebellion from happening, knowing as they do the fatal outcome for the supporters of Charles Stuart. The show does an impressive job detailing the background to the rebellion, from Protestant-Catholic tension to the Scottish desire for independence from England. Beautiful costumes, stunning scenery, and sizzling romance make “Outlander” a pleasure to watch.

Sources
- 14 Scottish Places All “Outlander” Fans Must Visit
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June 19, 2016
‘Outlander’ Boss Previews More ‘Urban’ and ‘Political’ Paris-Set Season 2

Now that the brutal — but still hopeful and very emotional — “Outlander” Season 1 finale is in the past, what does the future hold for Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) in Season 2? Executive producer Ronald D. Moore had several rounds of interviews after the May 30 finale, discussing plans for the next adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s novels.

Moore told Deadline they were roughly three weeks into Season 2 at the time, and “the footage looks really good.” Here are more Moore quotes to Deadline:

The general plan is probably to try to do a book a season. Some of the books are bigger than others so we’ve definitely had conversations about, “well, you know, at some point we made need to split a book into two seasons,” but right now we’re not there yet so the plan is to do Dragonfly In Amber for Season 2.

There will be twists and turns that aren’t in the book. The second book is more complex than the first book is. It’s a little tougher challenge to adapt it. It takes place in France and it deals with the Jacobite Rebellion. It’s much more political, it weaves in and out of actual historical events. There’s more complexity, just in terms of how Diana structured the story in Paris, in particular, as Jamie and Claire try to change history. […] It’s an urban setting and you’re dealing with aristocracy and the court of Louis XV so it’s a whole different thing. It’s not going to look anything like Season 1, so you’re really kind of prepping and shooting a whole new TV show into the second year. It has a lot of, you know, ‘oh my God, what can we do,’ those kind of moments to it.”

Here’s some of what Moore shared with TVLine about what’s next for Jamie and Claire:

It’s much more about deception, and lies within lies, and the gossips and the surroundings of Paris. And dinner parties, and going to the court of Louis the XV — and if you know those books, there’s St. Germain, and there’s Master Raymond, and there’s more of an occult feeling to a lot of that stuff. [Plus], she’s pregnant, and he’s got the aftermath of Jack Randall.

In probably every which way you can think of, it’s going to be different than Season 1 was, which I think is one of the strengths of the series overall: its continuing evolution.

In a lot of ways, [Parisian society] is more familiar to [Jamie] in certain ways than you would anticipate, because he is a laird in his own life, and he has lived in France, and he speaks the French language. It is a somewhat familiar culture to him. He does know his cousin, Jared, who runs a wine business, and he’s been to this place. Claire also speaks French, and she’s adapting in a different way, but she still struggles with the roles woman in these times, even in French society.

And here are some similar but still interesting quotes from Moore to Entertainment Weekly:

At the beginning, season 2 is going to look very different from season 1. The characters are going to Paris, which in those days was one of the most populated cities in the world. It’s a very urban environment. They’ll be in the French court. It’s a completely new palette visually. The color schemes are different. Everything about it is different—the chairs, the desks, the lamps, the costumes, and the props. They are definitely going to a different world. There’s more politics, because they’re caught up in the Jacobite rebellion more. You’re dealing with historical figures like Bonny Prince Charlie, who will be in the show. We’re dealing with the court of Louis XV. It’s just a very different story that Claire and Jamie suddenly get swept up in.”

There’s no word yet on when Season 2 will debut, but Starz will give it “at least” 13 episodes. Season 1, which had 16 episodes, premiered last August and had a break between two batches of eight episodes — from August-September to April-May. So we’ll have to wait and see how they handle things for the next round. Are you excited for what happens next? In the meantime, revisit Moviefone’s interview with the great Tobias Menzies (Black Jack Randall).

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June 1, 2015
‘Outlander’s’ Tobias Menzies Breaks Down the ‘Sadistic and Cruel’ Black Jack Randall

Is there a nastier character on television than “Outlander’s” Black Jack Randall?

As cruel a schemer as “Game of Thrones’” Cersei Lannister, as cunningly manipulative as “Gotham’s” Oswald Cobblepot, as homicidally ruthless as “Scandal’s” Rowan Pope and as sexually sadistic as “GoT’s” Ramsay Snow, Black Jack’s may be the blackest hearted Big Bad of them all, played to malicious, all-too-believable perfection by Tobias Menzies.

With the first season of the Starz drama, adapted from novelist Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling series by acclaimed writer-producer Ronald D. Moore, concluding on Saturday, Black Jack has only just begun his brutal, bloody torment of the heroic Highlander Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), who sacrificed himself to her freedom for his time-traveling love Claire (Caitriona Balfe) — and, as readers of the books know, things get far, far uglier.

In an exclusive conversation with Moviefone, Menzies meditates on the nature and motives behind monstrous Black Jack –- as well as his lookalike ancestor Frank Randall –- with some surprising perspectives.

WARNING: There are a few spoilers ahead for those unfamiliar with the flow of the first and second novels’ storylines.

Moviefone: When “Outlander” first came your way, what was your initial reaction to it?

Tobias Menzies: I did think about it. It’s always a particular type of commitment to sign up for multiple years on a TV show. However, I mean, the thing that initially drew me to it was, obviously, the opportunity to play two different people is an unusual thing for a TV show — and, obviously, interesting. And also Ron [Moore] – I had admired “Battlestar Galactica.” That was a very character-driven – albeit sci-fi, but really that wasn’t the point. It was about the characters and very well-written, sort of psychological, really interesting. I thought it was really great TV.

So I was struck by the fact that he was going to be creating the show. And then, in a way, much later came the awareness of the books and Diana and the sort of global phenomenon that is “Outlander.” But yeah, that was really the things that struck me first.

Which Randall were you most drawn to at first? Black Jack or Frank?

For obvious reasons, I think Black Jack is obviously the flashier and more sort of attention grabbing of the two, but I have really enjoyed having the variety of the two different people. It’s been a really enjoyable job to do for that reason, really. And yeah, I am now, equally as fond of them for their different reasons. And I think they both bring sort of different textures to the overall kind of show. And I think one of Diana’s strengths is she writes very good characters.

One of the things I enjoy about your performance is there’s no gimmick to making one or the other work. There’s no limp or mustache. How did you navigate making them very different individuals?

That’s interesting. I’m glad that you brought that up. I’m interested that you like that, because that was something I was very keen to do, was not to ink in the difference too heavily. But obviously that comes with a certain amount of risk. The danger is that you don’t quite delineate them enough. And obviously, I get asked this quite a lot, and I can’t really come up with a satisfactory answer. It’s been quite sort of –- it wasn’t particularly logical. It was intuitive.

I remember the fittings, putting on the clothing, being very helpful. The very different sort of weight of cloth and made me stand differently, especially the uniform for Jack. But in a way, I just to a certain degree was daring to trust that the costumes and the script and the setting would do a lot of the work for me – and then daring to be maybe at times a little bit similar. And wanting the difference to be in the eyes rather than, as you say, the mustache or a limp.

But yeah, there’s an element of risk about that. And I’m, obviously very encouraged that people do feel there is a definite difference between the two people. Because, as you say, I’m not doing anything particularly radically different with my face. But that was certainly much more interesting to me to have that rather than something very overt. Because in a way, then you take away what is kind of fun and interesting about having the same actor play two different people.

Once the scope of Jack’s story was revealed to you –- and the fact that he’s quite vicious –- how did you work with that to make him as evil as he needs to be, but also to make him a realistic person?

I think I was keen from the beginning -– and Ron had a similar kind of sensibility in this regard -– to make him as three-dimensional as I could possibly make him. Make him very much a product of his time, of his experiences, of the Jacobite rebellion, to root him very strongly in that. To avoid him being just purely evil, just sort of a black-and-white villain. I wanted him to be as complicated as I think Diana has written it, actually.

And so Ron and the writers really helped me to do that, with, for instance, taking what in the book is only, I think, half a page, which is the interrogation of Claire by Jack, and taking that sort of small piece of the book and folding that out in an entire episode, which then gave me the opportunity for us as an audience and as a show to look into the psyche and the thinking of Jack. And I think that’s gone a long way to helping us fill him out a bit and give some context, some understanding, if not empathy, for how he behaves and what he does.

In every interaction with him, he goes to a cruel or vicious place. Is there another side to him that we’re going to see or delve into what got him to that place?

I’m not completely clear about this, because I have not completely crossed the second book. But my understanding is that some of the softer sides of Jack are revealed in his interactions in the second book with his brother. His brother, Alex, comes into it -– who, in my correspondence with Diana, is of the opinion that really maybe that’s the only person that he truly ever loved was this younger brother.

So it will be interesting to see what the writers come up with, but I think certainly that might be an opportunity to see a softer aspect of Jack in an intimate situation. Because you’re right: thus far, he never lets anyone close. And whenever he becomes one-on-one, seeks to dominate. But so far, we haven’t seen him interact with family. Family is, obviously, always different.

I think that’s what’s good about the character is you feel there’s plenty of rope for us to sort of continue to understand and unpack what drives someone who, on the face of it, is so sadistic and cruel. It’s inevitable that you then raise questions about why, how does someone arrive to this place?

When the sexual element of the character came up for you, was that an exciting place to go, or did you have to wrap your head around “How am I going to navigate these scenes?”

I wasn’t nervous about it. I’m not nervous about nudity or portraying sexuality. But here’s the one thing that I wrestled with a little bit was, the point of the sexuality. The sexual aggression or the sexual attacks that he does, I suppose I was very keen to make that a tool that he used, rather than the goal. That he’s not about -– his interest is not to rape someone. His interest is to use rape to break someone down, as a tool of war in a way. Since war began, it’s been a tactic that’s been used, and Jack is no different.

And also, I feel that’s, in a way, not completely the objective when it comes to Jamie as well. And I know there are plenty of people who probably disagree with me in that regard about Jack. Fans have written about the fact that he’s in love with Jamie, and I’m not sure I completely agree with it. I was more interested in the attraction being more psychological and more about his sadism, about meeting someone who was his equal. Beginning with this event where he flogs him a hundred times after he had already been flogged a hundred times. And he finds or encounters a young man who is able to endure more pain than he’s ever administered to anyone else.

And on his journey as a sadist, in his life, that is a red letter day. And so it functions on different levels. There may well be a sexual attraction, but that’s only one of a mixture of things that attracts him or interests him about Jamie.

What makes me curious is the encounter with Jamie’s sister Jenny, where Jack had the intent but not the ability. What did you make of that?

Again, I wanted that to be not just about a gay man not getting it up with a woman, because I’m not sure that that’s what Jack is. I’m not sure he is. And also, the idea of homosexual was not even a language, or an idea that was really fully formed in that period. Sexuality was much more… the lines were less clearly drawn. So no, what interested me about that encounter was to see a chink in his armor, really.

For whatever reason, the sister stumbles on a response that unmans him. And I suppose that you could make that argument that out of tyrannical behavior, he’s unraveled by ridicule or satire. That you could probably make the Nazi regime… one of the strongest against megalomania is satire and humor, and so it feels like quite a modern moment there. I think it was less about Jack not getting it up, but about what gets under his skin. And I think it makes it quite a peculiar kind of moment.

Tell me about the aspect of the cast having to go to those dark places and everybody coming away not too traumatized by the acting exercise. Has it been pretty smooth sailing with everybody?

I think the truth is, when you do it, you can’t see what you’re doing, so it’s really cathartic — and often, by the nature of filming, it’s strangely technical. About hitting that mark and not covering that light. And really, the true impact of it only really comes together when it’s all cut together and the music, and then you see it on the screen. And you go, “Okay — that’s what we made.” But in a way, you’re worrying about the details at the time. And so you rarely get a chance to look up and see the bigger picture, and that’s probably a helpful thing [laughs].

After a day of that on set, do you shake it off right away?

The funny thing about that — and this may be a peculiarity of me, but I don’t find it — it’s not something I have to shake off really. It feels… because it’s a sort of cathartic thing, in the doing of it, in a way, you burn it. So no, I’ve never really had moments of going “Oh, I feel sullied or uncomfortable about what we’ve done.” Because I think that’s why we tell dark stories is because they can be the story and not in our lives, you know. And so I think that cathartic thing stops it maybe seeping into your life or feeling the need, as you say, to shake it off.

Did you and Sam use humor about these two characters’ relationships amongst yourselves, so when you got to the point you had to act this out you had a comfort zone?

There wasn’t that. I was always kind of wary of doing that. But it was interesting that people would sort of josh about it. In some ways, I was interested that we never really sat down and talked about it. And that’s probably kind of right, that we sort of saved it for doing it in a way. Because I think you can drain something of energy, if you talk it to death. And for whatever reason, I noticed that we both avoided that conversation, I think [laughs]. Which is interesting.

For Frank Randall, what was the hook you saw in him?

I remember Ron saying something interesting when we first started working together, was he noticed that both Jack and Frank were products of war: men of war, who’d been through war. Frank had been through the Second World War. Jack had been through the Jacobite rebellion. So I think the war was certainly a touchstone for Frank. Understanding what that had been. Then, I feel like the main sort of thematic role that Frank plays in the stories and going forward is probably a study in loss, really. Obviously, in this story, it’s the rather esoteric, sci-fi example of someone disappearing through time. But in a way, I think we can all relate to losing people from our lives, however they live. Whether they just leave or whether they die. And that’s what’s beautiful about his story, I think. And going forward into the second book, when he then has to encounter her again, she returns to him with this apparently absurd story. And the fact that his love is able to transcend those barriers and those difficulties, speaks to a lot of stoicism in him, a lot of character.

And so that portrayal of love between Claire and Frank is a very different beast than the much more maybe youthful, romantic, dashing love that is between Claire and Jamie. But I think no less interesting and sort of heartfelt for all that. And so I look forward to bringing that different sort of colors of what love is, I suppose, into the story. Because, obviously, there’s a huge amount of the sort of romantic aspect of it.

But of course, I turn 41 this year, and love and what it is becomes more and more multi-faceted the older you get. I don’t know whether you’d agree, but what love has to endure, what love is when it’s had to encounter loss or disappointment or betrayal, it becomes maybe less idealistic, but maybe richer for it. I feel like that relationship between Frank and Claire is all about that, really.
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May 29, 2015