Solid feature debut from Spanish legendary filmmaker Carlos Saura. Although not completely polished, mainly due to its writing, the realistic and naturalistic feel that would characterise this filmmaker is already appropriately present via its great locations and the way they are captured.
While there is some good work in technical departments like editing, sound, and photography (the main highlight of the film being a great collection of close-ups), it’s not excellent by any stretch of the imagination. The truth is that Ferrari falls flat due to an incredibly uninteresting family drama plot and weak performances, with a lack of chemistry between actors (especially between Adam Driver and Penélope Cruz).
Manning Walker adopts the aesthetics of Spring Breakers (Harmony Korine, 2012), but delicately and appropriately injects a social commentary spin, delving into the subjects of teenage sexuality, rape, and consent.
While this choice in visual presentation, as well as the way some essential sequences are shot, seems to soften the powerful message, the great lead performance by Mia McKenna-Bruce compensates for much of it.
As usual, Ken Loach excels in presenting highly relevant and socially significant topics. This time, it’s the complexities involved in the integration of immigrant groups into enclosed communities.
The movie thrives once we get past its very Lynchian start and immerses itself in its extremely sexual tone, while showing barely any explicit sex. Nonetheless, it might have been even better if it had put slightly more emphasis on the “quantification of the intangibles” discourse presented through the dramatic and unsettling events that the motel’s inhabitants are experiencing after misfortune has hit their lives.
