Is F1: The Movie worth watching? Joseph Kosinski’s 2025 racing drama pairs Brad Pitt’s star power with large-scale Formula One action. This review-style guide assesses the story, production approach and published critical response. It is not presented as a firsthand screening review.
F1: The Movie story and cast
Brad Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a former racing prospect who returns to Formula One to help a struggling team. Damson Idris plays ambitious rookie Joshua Pearce, while Javier Bardem portrays team owner Ruben Cervantes. The central tension is familiar: experience versus ambition, and whether two very different drivers can work together.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film combines the comeback-drama formula with an unusually prominent motorsport setting. The premise is easy to follow even for viewers who do not regularly watch Formula One.
What critics liked — and what divided them
Published reviews broadly praised the high-energy racing sequences and Pitt’s relaxed screen presence. Rotten Tomatoes lists an 82% critics score and 97% verified audience score on its F1: The Movie page at the time of writing. Metacritic reports a 68/100 score from 57 critic reviews, indicating generally favorable reception.
The most common reservation in the critical coverage is that the narrative follows a recognizable sports-film template. That trade-off matters: viewers looking for spectacle and an accessible underdog story may find more to enjoy than those seeking an unconventional screenplay.
Is F1: The Movie worth watching on Apple TV?
For viewers comparing Apple TV movie subscriptions, 4K streaming options and the best sports movies to watch, F1 is an obvious title to investigate. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists Apple TV as a streaming option, although availability, pricing, 4K support and rental terms can vary by region and date. Check Apple’s official F1 movie page before subscribing or paying for a rental.
Our editorial verdict
Worth considering for racing spectacle and star-driven entertainment. Based on the published critical consensus, its strengths appear to be the racing photography, sound and energetic direction; its weakness is a conventional plot. We are not assigning a firsthand star rating without a verified screening.
Watch the F1: The Movie trailer on MoviesKnowledge before deciding. For more big-screen action, see our Superman trailer and browse the Hollywood movie trailers collection.
Sources and review methodology
This assessment draws on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic critical aggregation, plus Apple’s film information. Scores and availability can change.