Eric Bana, acclaimed actor and star of countless successful films, makes his directorial debut with, Love the Beast. Beast is a documentary that follows Bana’s obsession outside the acting world, car racing. More specifically though, Beast is about his love for his Ford GT Falcon Coupe, a classic American muscle car. I’m not going to pretend that I’m a huge “gearhead”, but I do have an appreciation for fine automobiles and the engineering behind them. Bana’s appreciation for his car goes beyond the norm. I think it’s fair to say that Bana loves this car as you or I might love a pet, or even one of our own children. It’s not dangerous or bordering on insanity, but more about what this car stands for and the memories that Bana’s crew shared working on the Falcon. In reality I found his admiration towards this hunk of metal and super charged pistons endearing. I can’t think of anything in my own life that has brought me the same amount of joy as this car has brought him.
The Falcon is more than just a “car” it’s a symbol, a symbol of freedom that many of us can relate too. Your first car is the step toward independence, the first time when you are the one behind the wheel feeling as if you are totally in control. It’s a microcosm for our entry toward adulthood. All we need to do is pick a direction and the road will take us to wherever we want to go. I think at its core, even if you aren’t a “gearhead”, this film speaks to you on that level; it’s relatable.
After pondering about this film, I re-watched this gang of misfits pour their blood and sweat into this machine several times over. Their dedication is unflinching as they bring the “Beast” back to life and prepare for Bana’s second attempt at a five-day drive across the streets of Australia. A grueling race that challenges the most seasoned drivers. As we follow Bana and his driving mate, Barry Oliver, through city roads, small towns, and large stretches of open road, I too found myself falling in love with the Beast. I’m actually getting emotionally attached to this car. I want to be in the garage having a beer, working on the suspension with the guys, taking the car out on the open road, or opening up the 600 horses upon the streets of Australia. In some ways its funny how this car brought these friends together, kept them off drugs and away from crime. It gave them purpose and in a weird way I feel that by watching this film, I too have become a part of this crew. As my desire for Bana to finish the race grows, my connection to the car grows as well. And that’s the point, and where Bana’s film really succeeds. Bana has managed to make you a part of his family, if only for an hour and half, you really feel that you have been initiated into this group.
It’s only when Bana makes a small mistake during the race steering off the road and creaming into a tree that I’m brought back to reality. With the car mangled and crushed, so too was my heart. Just seeing the car lifeless is almost more than I can bear, I even forgot to make sure that Bana and his driving partner are “okay”. And, yes, they were fine. They barely had a scratch on them, but the car, along with Bana’s dreams of finishing the race, were gone. Bana’s reaction to the incident is gut wrenching, he is almost worse off now, than he was when the car wasn’t even moving. He must start all over from scratch. Bana’s plans to work on the car are put on hold as the third act winds to a close. Reality has checked back in with Bana and now he must go on the road to promote his next Hollywood film. This brings me to my favorite moment in the film.
There is a beautiful moment towards the end; it’s short, but honest. It happens as Eric begins to prepare himself for a walk down the red carpet. As he laces up his shoes, he groans about how little this appearance means to him, how he must carefully choose his wardrobe, how every decision he makes will be scrutinized by the media. And all of it means nothing; it means nothing because the car is dead and sitting on cinder blocks. It’s so trivial; all he wants to do is get back into the garage, where things make sense. It’s a beautiful contrast between his obligations and his passion.
Love the Beast is a great doc. It’s a nice break from documentaries that have an agenda. This film is more a love story that isn’t trying to convince you of anything, it’s just trying to share something with you and remind us what it’s like to have passion for what you love. Love the Beast: 4 out of 5 stars.
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