The Art of Racing in the Rain
The Art of Racing in the Rain arrives as a comedy directed by Simon Curtis, and its first strength is a clear sense of purpose. Kevin Costner and Milo Ventimiglia give The Art of Racing in the Rain a recognisable human centre before the larger mechanics take over. The central situation in The Art of Racing in the Rain comes into focus without a long explanation: Through his bond with his owner, aspiring Formula One race car driver Denny, golden retriever Enzo learns that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life. Across its 1h 49m running time, Simon Curtis keeps The Art of Racing in the Rain alive in individual scenes and uncertain between them.
The Art of Racing in the Rain relies heavily on Kevin Costner, and the performance responds with enough specificity to carry changes in mood. The contribution of Milo Ventimiglia gives The Art of Racing in the Rain a useful counterweight instead of merely echoing the lead. Jackie Minns makes the smaller exchanges in The Art of Racing in the Rain count, often through timing rather than emphatic dialogue. Simon Curtis understands that The Art of Racing in the Rain becomes more persuasive when the cast can imply feelings before the script names them.
The Art of Racing in the Rain benefits from Simon Curtis being alive in individual scenes and uncertain between them about what each sequence needs to accomplish. Instead of making every beat equally loud, Simon Curtis lets The Art of Racing in the Rain create contrast between pressure and release. The cast and craft keep the experience watchable throughout The Art of Racing in the Rain, with the strongest decisions feeling connected to character rather than display.
The most useful technical choice in The Art of Racing in the Rain is comic timing built around character, because it helps the audience understand both space and mood. Fox 2000 Pictures frames The Art of Racing in the Rain through comic timing built around character without letting surface finish replace character. Drawing on its United States background, The Art of Racing in the Rain uses well judged reactions to give familiar material a more specific texture.
The central idea running through The Art of Racing in the Rain concerns embarrassment, status and the gap between confidence and reality. Kevin Costner gives that idea a human scale, allowing The Art of Racing in the Rain to remain accessible even when its world becomes larger. By returning to Denny, The Art of Racing in the Rain turns theme into a source of pressure rather than a message waiting to be delivered. The handling by Simon Curtis lets The Art of Racing in the Rain leave a little interpretive room, which gives its better scenes an afterlife.
The Art of Racing in the Rain is most involving when the screenplay allows Through to complicate what initially appears to be a story about Formula One. That shift gives Kevin Costner a more specific problem to carry through The Art of Racing in the Rain. Working from material credited to Mark Bomback, The Art of Racing in the Rain reveals Denny at a measured pace instead of rushing toward its largest turn. The later pressure around Enzo shows why The Art of Racing in the Rain benefits whenever cause and consequence remain visibly connected.
My final view is that The Art of Racing in the Rain provides an uneven film with enough personality to remain interesting for comedy fans who respond to personality and timing. Kevin Costner supplies the emotional memory of The Art of Racing in the Rain, while Simon Curtis keeps the genre machinery readable. A concern remains because too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested across part of The Art of Racing in the Rain, yet the better passages retain their force. What earns The Art of Racing in the Rain consideration is not perfection but the presence of choices that feel made for this story.
Comments