Director Joseph Kosinski‘s new 2025 movieF1 might not get every detail about Formula 1 racing entirely correct, but it certainly is a film that at least strives for realism. The cinematography and sound design does its best to make the audience feel like they are right on the track with cars driving at triple digit speeds, and a huge part of the production process was having the stars of the movie sitting behind the wheel (with champion Lewis Hamilton offering plenty of pointers). Even the archive video and flashback sequences go the extra mile so to speak, with Brad Pitt’s Sonny Hayes sporting a haircut that is very era appropriate and based on Pitt’s on style from that time.
CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb had the opportunity to sit down with Joseph Kosinski earlier this month to discuss the filmmaker’s work on the exciting new sports blockbuster, and he asked specifically about an aspect of the movie that got a big reaction during his screening: Brad Pitt‘s 1980s haircut in the flashback moments. Jeff asked if the style choice was actively looking to get a kind of rise out of the audience, and the director explained,
Yeah. I mean, that was, you know, an authentic Brad hairstyle from from the period, which Brad is very proud of. So, yeah, I liked getting a glimpse into Sonny’s past and understanding kind of where he came from.
I’d say he’s right to be proud. Not every guy can pull off the feathered look that Brad Pitt sported during his younger years, so it’s a solid harkening back to that time. Additionally, it helps audiences recognize the actor on an extra layer, as it was during that era that Pitt was just getting his career going in film and television.
In F1, the flashback sequences – as Joseph Kosinski intended – do indeed serve to provide Brad Pitt’s protagonist with some appreciated depth. They further inform the audience that Sonny Hayes was once expected to be one of the most exciting drivers in the sport, but his career was cut short following a devastating crash that left him with injuries that should have prevented him from ever professionally getting back behind the wheel.
Bringing back the 1980s/1990s version of Brad Pitt is just one part of the cinematic magic in F1, which features a collection of outstanding racing sequences in addition to a stellar ensemble cast including Javier Bardem, Damson Idris and Kerry Condon opposite Brad Pitt. The film is now playing in theaters everywhere, having just won the number one spot at the box office this weekend, and if you’re planning to see it, it’s definitely an experience that needs to be had on the big screen.
