THE REWATCHABLES · December 22, 2025
A 2025 sports / drama movie directed by Joseph Kosinski—and decision no. 88 in the Hanks–Cruise tape.
ON THIS EPISODE
FROM THE CONVERSATION
WHY IT WORKS
WHAT DID NOT WORK
SCENES THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO
Whole Lotta Love, ice bath, laundromat routine, and the trailer establish Sonny as a cool, out-of-step veteran.
About 40 minThe rain crash and subsequent racing chaos are described as one of the film's best sequences.
About 40 minThe old-school training sequence gradually building the team dynamic is singled out as effective.
About 32 minA light romantic interlude that establishes chemistry and her competence.
About 32 minAcknowledged as enjoyable on first watch but less necessary on rewatch.
About 48 minThe climax, with sound-driven tension, Pitt's face, and the champagne spray, is celebrated even amid ending debate.
About 16 minThe old-friends-reunite beat is warmly received as a classic ending move.
About 48 minWHERE THEY DISAGREED
Bill SimmonsSonny winning is better for the movie industry, but the film would be more interesting if Sonny crashed and JP won.
Van LathanJP winning would be narratively more interesting, but Sonny winning makes sense within the finished movie.
Chris RyanThe movie's current ending works, though the younger-driver victory would be a different and maybe better version.
Bill SimmonsPitt is the bigger movie star and culturally larger.
Van LathanPitt carved out a unique, incomparable lane, but Damon may have more range and a strong seven-film argument.
Chris RyanReal F1 insiders would likely think the tactics are bullshit.
Van LathanThe movie needs simplified mechanics for general audiences to follow.
Bill SimmonsF1 feels like a sport people feel they should care about if they're worldly.
Van LathanIt has become a must-know global sports identity marker.
Calls it a mind-blowing, technically advanced movie that feels like the kind of spectacle theaters are for.
Opening minutesSays racing movies are inherently cinematic and more compelling than the actual sport.
About 8 minArgues the movie shows real progress in filming motion and machinery.
About 8 minSees Pitt as a rare star with an icon-like late-career phase and broad range across big and smaller films.
About 16 minArgues Pitt has his own incomparable path but is not simply the biggest movie star in the same way as Cruise.
About 24 minSays the movie is actually better if Sonny crashes and the younger driver wins, even though he likes the theatrical version.
About 48 minAcknowledges the film is also a highly effective commercial for F1 and Apple.
About 40 minLikes that she is not an Adrian-style obstacle and is instead a strong professional with chemistry.
About 16 minLikes the emotional ending beats, especially the reunion and goodbyes between old friends and lovers.
About 48 minArgues Bruckheimer is the kind of producer who gets a well-made movie made without visible seams.
About 32 minThe hosts treat F1 as proof that large-format theatrical spectacle still matters.
Opening minutesThey see the film as an 80s-style star vehicle about a cultural phenomenon that Hollywood used to make often.
About 8 minThe movie is praised less for complexity than for exceptional execution, editing, and camera innovation.
About 8 minThey catalog familiar tropes like mentor speeches, old-vs-new, the underdog, and the climactic race.
About 8 minThe episode repeatedly notes Apple, F1, and Bruckheimer as a commercial machine wrapped around a movie.
About 40 minThe movie was shot with custom small cameras, including remote-controlled units mounted in race cars.
About 32 minApple reportedly paid a major amount for the film and gained credibility from its success.
About 40 minThe film used race-weekend access and involved real F1 figures, including Lewis Hamilton.
About 40 minThe crash backstory was inspired by the real Martin Donnelly crash.
About 1:12A female strategy engineer in real F1 inspired the Carrie Condon character.
About 1:12The film's soundtrack includes Hans Zimmer and needle drops like Led Zeppelin and Chris Stapleton.
About 40 minThe movie reportedly had additional literary contributions from Aaron Sorkin, Christopher Storer, Jez Butterworth, and Kara Smith.
About 40 minA large amount of sponsorship money from brands helped offset the film's reported cost.
About 1:12Bill uses it as the feeling he wants from a huge, immersive spectacle.
Opening minutesUsed as the closest recent comparison for Kosinski's scale and machine-action filmmaking.
About 8 minCited as a prior racing movie that F1 updates visually.
About 16 minReferenced as the best old-guy/new-guy sports-movie ending model.
About 48 minUsed as a comparison for an underdog team exploiting margins and loopholes.
About 16 minUsed as a model for a movie that has to educate the audience while telling its story.
About 40 minMentioned in Pitt's strongest seven-film resume and as a star vehicle reference.
About 24 minUsed in a separate debate about the best old-guy-schooling-young-guy scene.
About 48 minMentioned as a recent rewatch during a personal aside.
About 48 minCited in the 'old guy schooling young guy' montage of examples.
About 48 minUsed as another example of an older player teaching a younger one a lesson.
About 48 minThe main discussion topic and a subject of references to the actual sport's culture and propaganda.
Opening minutesBill repeatedly jokes about CR being his constant podcasting companion and teases his presence across multiple shows.
Opening minutesThe hosts keep adding and revising sports-movie tropes, from mentor speeches to old-guy/new-guy dynamics.
About 8 minThey riff on actors who are good at reacting as cheering spectators in sports movies.
About 16 minThe pit-call phrase becomes a repeated joke and potential new life phrase.
About 1:04Van recounts an inside joke involving Jack Sanders and a repeated line that never landed.
About 1:12“This is fucking incredible.”Opening minutes
“You're the reason I get up in the morning.”Opening minutes
“You are the Duke!”Opening minutes
“Spend your whole life starting over, Sonny.”About 40 min
“Box box box”About 1:04
MAKE IT A MOVIE NIGHT
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
Three movies to watch before F1, and three to watch next.
ON THE MIC
Bill Simmons125 tracked appearances · 56 H / 64 C / 5 ties
Chris Ryan77 tracked appearances · 36 H / 38 C / 3 ties
Van Lathan36 tracked appearances · 11 H / 23 C / 2 tiesCATEGORY CONTEXT
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