Ford v Ferrari - A Race Car Movie that Drags with Matt Damn and Christian Bale

Ford v Ferrari is a film based upon true events spinning around the competition on/off the runways between cars, drivers, business executives and innovators.  The film fails miserably at being innovative, exciting or credible.  It's true the world renown Le Mans 24 hour car race in France had never been won by an American built car until 1966.  Oops! Does the buzz kill for which company wins the race in 1966 spoil the film?  No. The faults lie in the staged friendship between 2 American race car fanatics that flounders between Ken Miles (Christian Bale) and Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon).  Both actors portray their characterized film personas with their sleek take but British dir. James Margold should have put the brakes on the heavy handed scenes between these frenemies and the self-promoting Ford exec. Leo Beebee (Josh Lucas) and the staunch Shelby.  Shelby knows Miles is the driver & engineer whose the man that can get the job done if winning is the ultimate aim for the Ford Co.  Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts in a wasted stock performance) as the besieged head of Ford when their car sales were going through a steep downturn.  Ford turns to his flashy executives (including Lee Iacocca) for a return road to glory.  Sexy, sleek & fast is what sells along with great PR.  Beebee sees Miles & Shelby as obstacles in his path and plays the evil self-promoter with a PR plan that pits friends Shelby & Miles against each other and robs Miles of the deserved win at the Le Mans in 1966.  There are two scenes that needed to be ejected:  Miles and his wife having an argument while she drives their family sedan like a mad man and Miles & Shelby having a tussle using wonder bread to beat each other while Miles' wife looks on amused in a beach chair.  Credit British actor Noah Jupe who plays Miles son for his winning performance.  The parts in the movie are much better than the clunky, weighted down finished project.  This car racing movie is slow going.  "Ford v Ferrari" was thrust in low gear and in need of a lube job.  The real buzz kill is the fatal race car accident involving Miles that feels hammered on at the end of the movie just months after Ford company's triple crown win at Le Mans.  Ford v Ferrari is a disaster on and off the tracks.