Rush

With the Formula One-centered film Rush now in widespread release, one has to wonder what, if any, impact this movie will have on open-wheel racing's popularity in the U.S. (and how many people will mistake IndyCar for Formula One, or vice versa). Clearly Turbo was not the answer to help IndyCar, but it definitely doesn't hurt to have two open-wheel racing-themed films released in the same year. It also begs the question: if you were to make a non-animated IndyCar film based on a true story, what would it be about?

A film about IndyCar should be relevant to a larger audience, not just race fans, and it shouldn't be too negative. Rush focuses on a heated rivalry and its consequences, and IndyCar has had plenty of those over the years. The whole IRL debacle could be chronicled in film quite nicely but I wonder if such a plot would be too technical for a big audience. Rush appears to be a heavily race-focused film so I'm not sure how much wide appeal it will generate. Evidently it was not a big hit in its premiere weekend, which is usually a bad sign. It does have critical acclaim and awards buzz though, so that will help.

Biopics can also make for interesting movies, and IndyCar has a whole cast of characters from which to draw for a biopic: A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell just to name a few. After reading Helio's autobiography, I think there's an interesting subplot in it about Emerson Fittipaldi's con artistry that could be movie-worthy. The Will Power-Dario Franchitti rivalry could make for a hilarious comedy as well.

I'd like to see a movie made about Dan Wheldon, not a biopic necessarily but how IndyCar's overzealous attempts to gain popularity contributed to negligent decision-making. This film would not paint IndyCar in the brightest light, so it would probably never be approved, but it certainly would be interesting. It would also appeal to a wider audience and help us all learn a valuable lesson about not rushing to a decision without careful consideration of all possible problems with the outcome. The film would have to include an epilogue about the changes IndyCar and other racing series have made since this tragedy.

Of course these films will probably never reach the studio, but it is fun to think about. If an IndyCar movie is made, let's hope it's better than Driven, which I have never fully seen (only parts of it) but have heard is dreadful. I do plan to see Rush soon, because racing movies are so rare. Good racing movies are even rarer.