I just saw the movie and I must say that Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller have written an exceptional script. I applauded at the end and so did others in Omaha. And I don't even like car races!
The beats were perfect. Early in the movie we hear reference to "7,000 rpms" and it came up throughout the movie. The dialogue was great. The discussion between Carroll Shelby and Henry Ford, II in his Detroit office was an absolute classic. Some funny lines here and there and quite organic to the story.
Reflecting on the script, I think what made it so great was the conflict. The obvious conflict was between the two car companies, but there was way more. There was the conflict between Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. Conflict between Carroll Shelby and the Ford Executive VP. Conflict between Lee Iacocca and Henry Ford, II. (I hope Iacocca saw the movie before he passed.) Conflict between Ken Miles and his wife Mollie. Conflict between man and machine.
The movie wasn't all about conflict as there was teamwork with the Shelby team to beat the Italians. The relationship between Ken and his son Peter was very, very moving.
I can't praise this movie enough. That was cinema. That was no comic book movie. That was what Scorsese wrote about in the NYT. That script is what we should all aspire to write and I think my "Frankenstein, Part II" is in the same ballpark.
