Gran Turismo
Release Date: 3rd August 2023 - Australia
Production Companies
Columbia Pictures (presents)
2.0 Entertainment
Michael De Luca Productions
Trigger Street Productions
TSG Entertainment (made in association with)
Distribution
Sony Pictures Releasing Australia
Genre: Action/Drama
Runtime: 134 minutes
Budget: $60,000,000
Box Office Gross: $122,101,055 (Worldwide)
Plot Summary
After winning a series of
Nissan-sponsored video
Gran Turismo player gets
his chance to become a
professional race car
driver.
Cast
Archie Madekwe - Jann Mardenborough
David Harbour - Jack Salter
Orlando Bloom - Danny Moore
Darren Barnet - Matty Davis
Geri Halliwell - Lesley
Mardenborough
Djimon Hounsou - SteveMardenborough
Josha Stradowski - Nicholas Capa
Daniel Puig - Cody Mardenborough
Maeve Courtier-Lilley - Audrey
Pepe Barroso - Antonio Cruz
Niall McShea - Frederik Schulin
Nikhil Parmar - Persol
Takehiro Hira - Kazunori
Yamauchi
Thomas Kretschmann -
Akie Kotabe - Akira Akiba
Sadao Ueda - Skeptical
Nissan Board Member
Wai Wong - Senior Nissan Executive
Jamie Kenna - Jack Man Jones
Royce Cronin - Capa Team Leader
Harki Bhambra - Avi Bhatt
Emelia Hartford - Leah Vega
Lindsay Pattison - Chloe McCormick
Mariano González - Henry
Evas
Maximilian Mundt - Klaus
Sang Heon Lee - Joo-Hwan Lee
Théo Christine - Marcel Durand
Joanne Heywood - Clothing
Customer
Cavan Jones - Kid Playing
at Gamer Cafe
Lloyd Meredith - Percy
Hannah Hornsby - Audrey's
Friend
Bence Bauer - Bonfire Guy
Ciarán Joyce - Ciaran
John Carter - James Wallace
Niki Faulkner - Instructor
Rina Saito - Kaz's Translator
Peter Lundie - Race Coordinator, GT Academy
Andrea Vasiliou - Dubai
Racing Fan
Yoojin Lee - Dubai Racing Fan
Matthew Hirsch - Race Marshall
(Le Mans) (Cameo)
Jacques Jouffret - Race
(Le Mans) (Cameo)
Eszter Zavaros - Female Chef
Daijiro Yoshihara - Nissan
Corporate Driver (Japan)
Maya Murofushi - Nissan
Desk Clerk
Bianca Bridge - Germany Reporter
Selin Cuhadaroglu - Sarah Eaton
Frédéric North - Helicopter
Pilot, GT Academy (Cameo)
Director - Neil Blomkamp
Story/Screenplay/Executive Producer - Jason Hall
Story - Alex Tse
Screenplay - Zach Baylin
Executive Producers - Matthew Hirsch, Herman Hulst and Kazunori Yamauchi
Producers - Carter Swan, Asad Qizilbash, Dana Brunetti and Doug Belgrad
Co-Producer/Stunt Driver: Archie Madekwe
(Uncredited) - Jann Mardenborough
Co-Producer - Darren Cox
Casting Directors - Raylin Sabo and Mary Vernieu
Production Designer - Martin Whist
Supervising Art Director - Justin O'Neal Miller
Set Decorators - Lauree Martell
and Adam Polgar
Costume Designer - Terry Anderson
Makeup Department Head - Tracey Wells
Director of Photography - Jacques Jouffret
Supervising Location Manager - Naomi Liston
First Assistant Directors - Martin Krauka
and James Bitonti
Stunt Coordinators - Steve Kelso
and Andrew Gill
Stunt Coordinator: HU - Domonkos Pardanyi
Supervising Picture Vehicle Coordinator -
Alex King
Picture Vehicle Coordinator - Dennis McCarthy
Picture Vehicle Supervisor - Elia Popov
Special Effects Supervisor - Gabor Kiszelly
Visual Effects Supervisor - Viktor Muller
Editors - Austyn Daines and Colby Parker Jr.
Co-Editor - Eric Freidenberg
Supervising Sound Editors - Kami Asgar
and Erin Oakley
Sound Designers - Charles Deenen,
James Evans and Nick Spradlin
Sound Recordists - John P. Fasal,
Bryan Watkins, Travis Prater,
Ed Walker, Watson Wu and Dustin Troyan
Re-Recording Mixers - Beau Borders
and Kevin O'Connell
Supervising Foley Artist - Gary A. Hecker
Music - Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski
Review
I vividly recall Gran Turismo (GT) as a PlayStation video game series. I'm not sure if I played GT. Then again, I might have played it only once (unless it was a different racing game), since I didn't have a PlayStation. Loosely based on the GT video games, this film retells the true story of a young gamer who went from virtual racing to a professional racing career. Neil Blomkamp is one step closer to a directorial comeback after a downturn with movies such as Elysium and Chappie, as he breaks the mould of his preferred sci-fi genre. He has never directed a video game film adaptation, though he attempted a Halo movie that never materialised.
Although adapting a racing game into a Hollywood feature may seem unconventional (unless you count Need for Speed), GRAN TURISMO still features a classic underdog story with an engaging setup. Admittedly, the film has flaws, including a predictable narrative and slow pacing. The dialogue is also slightly weak in the first half, with many lines feeling cheesy and unoriginal. The editing could have been tighter if they had trimmed a few scenes and removed the unnecessary romantic subplot. However, things improved as the film progressed, particularly the emotional moments near the end.
The actors delivered first-class performances, with Orlando Bloom returning to the limelight as an idealistic motorsport executive who recognises the gaming community's potential. Archie Madekwe, a relatively inexperienced actor, carries much of the load, sharing the screen with some of Hollywood's biggest names. His character embodies a carefree, youthful spirit that mirrors Jann Mardenborough's real-life persona. David Harbour delivers a commanding performance as Jann's coach, a former racing driver.
The chemistry between Madekwe and Harbour is strong, capturing the mentor-trainee dynamic. However, Djimon Hounsou's performance as Jann's father emerges as the emotional centrepiece, despite his limited screen time. Also worth noting, Geri Hariwell, one of the Spice Girls, plays Jann's mum. Interestingly, the real-life Mardenborough did all the driving stunts for his screen counterpart.
GRAN TURISMO's racing sequences are spectacular, with the stunning drone camerawork and an engaging visual style. The latter ranges
from CGI recreations of the game's user interface to real-time vehicle breakdowns. It'll make you believe you're playing a
video game. The sound design is superb throughout, with roaring engines, screeching tyres, and thunderous crashes that create an immersive experience.
GRAN TURISMO is an adrenaline-fueled combination of gaming and real-world motorsports culture. Although it doesn't offer anything new to the sports-drama subgenre, its heart-pounding race sequences and moving performances make it a worthy addition for fans of racing and inspirational stories alike. Anyone who has played the game or is a massive motorsport enthusiast should check it out.
Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie
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