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Racing films like the Fast & Furious film series have successfully connected with audiences due to their electrifying stunts and fast-paced drama. These films offer cool cars, stunts, clever maneuvering, and non-stop action that promise to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Over the years, street racing has been incorporated into numerous films to tell a variety of stories. Some are straight-up action thrillers, while others blend genres like animation or comedy. However, they all share a common love for speedy car rides and high-speed thrills.
If watching the Fast & Furious film franchise gets your heart pumping with adrenaline, then check out the list below for more entertainment.
10 racing films that deliver similar thrills to the Fast & Furious franchise
1) Ford v Ferrari (2019)
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Ford v Ferrari is a gripping biographical drama starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale as American automotive designer Carroll Shelby and British driver Ken Miles, respectively. The story chronicles how Ford defeated the Italian racing team Scuderia Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans held in France, marking Ford's triumph in the racing world.
Directed by James Mangold, the film skillfully handles the subject matter and delivers an engaging narrative along with racing sequences. In addition to the lead cast, Jon Bernthal, Caitríona Balfe, Noah Jupe, Tracy Letts, and Josh Lucas round out the supporting cast.
This film's technical brilliance and impact far outweigh those of the Fast & Furious franchise.
2) Days of Thunder (1990)
Tom Cruise's second outing with director Tony Scott after Top Gun (1986) sees him playing NASCAR driver Cole Trickle in Days of Thunder. Ambitious and determined, Cole aims to win the Winston Cup at the Daytona 500. He is supported and mentored by the crew chief and car builder, Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall).
However, personal challenges arise as he competes with his rival-turned-friend Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker) and later Russ Wheeler (Cary Elwes) for the first prize. In addition to the lead cast, the film features Nicole Kidman, John C. Reilly, and Randy Quaid in supporting roles.
Although both Days of Thunder and the Fast & Furious franchise make for a great summer watch, the former stands out in terms of entertainment.
3) Le Mans (1971)
Steve McQueen stars as the brooding Le Mans driver Michael Delaney for the Gulf Porsche team in the 1971 fictional drama Le Mans. His racing rival, Erich Stahler for the Ferrari team, is played by Siegfried Rauch.
Directed by Lee H. Katzin, the film's 106-minute runtime is packed with high-octane racing drama and contains actual footage taken from the previous Le Mans held in June 1970. It offers a fascinating look into the hardships and dedication needed to compete in this 24-hour endurance race.
Unlike the popcorn entertainment of the Fast & Furious film series, Le Mans promises to be a purely visceral experience for viewers.
4) Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Adam McKay spins a hilarious tale with his 2006 film, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Comedian Will Ferrell delivers a memorable performance as the half-wit NASCAR superstar Ricky Bobby alongside Sacha Baron Cohen's Jean Girard, a gay French Formula One champion. Once a reigning champion, Ricky's life is upended after losing to his French rival.
After a series of hysterical situations, he finds his way back to the race track. The lead cast is joined by John C. Reilly, Amy Adams, Gary Cole, Jane Lynch, Leslie Bibb, and Michael Clarke Duncan.
The film boasts memorable characters, over-the-top comedy, and funny dialogues, offering a different kind of entertainment compared to the Fast & Furious franchise.
5) Cars film series (2006-2017)
The beloved animated film series Cars, featuring Cars (2006), Cars 2 (2011), and Cars 3 (2017) deserves a spot on this list. Created by John Lasseter, Joe Ranft, and Jorgen Klubien, this series scores high on the entertainment quotient due to its delightful plot and voice-overs from some of Hollywood's biggest names.
Tag along as the Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton), Luigi (Tony Shalhoub), Sir Tow Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), Sterling (Nathan Fillion), Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), and many other whimsical characters as they go on an exciting adventure in this 3-part film series.
Unlike the Fast & Furious film series, this one has universal themes that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
6) Rush (2013)
This film revolves around the well-documented rivalry between two fiercely competitive Formula One drivers during the 1976 motor racing season. Chris Hemsworth stars as the enigmatic British driver James Hunt for McLaren, while Daniel Brühl plays the Austrian driver Niki Lauda for Scuderia Ferrari.
Under Ron Howard's direction, the duo delivers a strong performance. Furthermore, the film is elevated by Peter Morgan's screenplay and Hans Zimmer's musical score. The core difference in personalities of the two lead characters makes the film an interesting watch in addition to the expertly-shot racing sequences.
Rush stands out as a compelling film, offering a depth and intensity that set it apart from the Fast & Furious franchise.
7) Baby Driver (2017)
Ansel Elgort plays a getaway driver named Baby in Edgar Wright's slick 2017 drama, Baby Driver. The film opens with a riveting six-minute car chase sequence masterfully scored by Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion's Bellbottoms.
He suffers from tinnitus and is always seen wearing earbuds to drown out the constant ringing in his ears. Music becomes his escape as he helps the criminals who work for the robbery syndicate under Doc (Kevin Spacey). But Baby wants to break away from this life and start fresh with his girlfriend, Debora (Lily James).
Baby Driver's music score is an essential element of its storytelling, making it a much more entertaining watch than the Fast & Furious franchise.
8) Grand Prix (1966)
John Frankenheimer's Grand Prix is a classic racing drama from the 1960s that still rivals the Fast & Furious film series more than 60 years after its release.
The film creates a fictionalized version of the 1966 Formula One season with four Formula One drivers: Jean-Pierre Sarti (Yves Montand), Pete Aron (James Garner), Scott Stoddard (Brian Bedford), and Nino Barlini (Antonio Sabàto). It strikes the right balance in terms of storytelling, weaving the race tracks' high-octane action with the personal and romantic lives of these drivers.
What truly makes Grand Prix stand out is its seamless blend of real-life racing footage along with the film's footage.
9) Drive (2011)
Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive is a neo-noir, high-stakes drama that captivates viewers. Based on James Sallis's 2005 eponymous novel, Drive centers around the life of a Hollywood stunt driver/getaway driver, played by Ryan Gosling. His life becomes more entangled in violence after meeting his neighbor Irene and her fresh-out-of-prison husband, Standard Gabriel.
The movie's 100-minute runtime surprisingly only contains 116 lines so as not to distract from its stunning cinematography, crisp sound editing, and impeccable performances. Drive emerges as a superior film compared to the Fast & Furious franchise in every technical aspect of filmmaking.
In addition to Ryan Gosling, the film stars Carey Mulligan (Irene Gabriel), Oscar Isaac (Standard Gabriel), Bryan Cranston (Shannon), Christina Hendricks (Blanche), Ron Perlman (Nino 'Izzy' Paolozzi), etc.
10) American Graffiti (1973)
The cult classic American Graffiti by George Lucas is a coming-of-age drama set in 1962 Modesto. It captures the innocence of 1960s rock-n-roll culture and builds on the themes of adolescence, friendship, carefree existence, and the thrill of street racing.
The ensemble cast includes Richard Dreyfuss (Curt Henderson), Ron Howard (Steve Bolander), Paul Le Mat (John Milner), Charles Martin Smith (Terry Fields), Candy Clark (Debbie), Mackenzie Phillips (Carol), Harrison Ford (Bob Falfa), Cindy Williams (Laurie), etc.
If you are craving more after watching the Fast and Furious film series, American Graffiti is sure to provide you with a similar thrill.
These films offer a mix of high-speed action, rivalries, and captivating storylines, providing a similar adrenaline rush to the Fast and Furious film series.
