Sony’s upcoming “Gran Turismo” movie has come under criticism in several reviews for taking a real-life tragic incident and reframing it as a character motivator in the film.
The film is inspired by the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a skilled teenage Gran Turismo player who was able to become a professional race car driver. Archie Madekwe takes on the role of Jann in the film.
In 2015, the real Mardenborough was involved in an accident during a race at the Nürburgring complex in Germany when his car hit the barrier and bounced over the fencing protecting the viewing area. One spectator was killed and several others injured.
This scene in question is replicated in the film, but the filmmakers have made one key change. Here it has been moved to several years earlier in the timeline.
As a result, the tragedy becomes a turning point for the character and motivates him in the film’s third act to compete in 2013’s 24 Hours of Le Mans event. In reality, the accident wasn’t until two years after Le Mans.
Polygon reviewer says the change turns the tragedy into the “defining, motivating setback on Mardenborough’s hero’s journey to his Le Mans podium” and call it “arguably a tasteless reframing of a fatal event.”
Others have been harsher in their statements. The real-life Mardenborough told The Sunday Times recently that leaving out the harrowing accident would have been “a disservice to the audience”.
Even with the criticisms, reviews overall for the film are skewing positive and the movie will have plenty of previews over the next two weekends to generate word of mouth ahead of its full wide release on August 25th.
Source: Kotaku
