Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Racing biopic has complex characters, lots of iffy behavior.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Rush
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Based on 13 kid reviews
Kids say that this film is an impressive blend of exhilarating racing, strong performances, and positive themes, particularly around sportsmanship and resilience. However, they warn that its R rating is justified due to mature content including strong language, sex, and bloody injury details, making it more suitable for older teens and adults.
- positive messages
- intense racing
- mature content
- great performances
- age-appropriate
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In the early 1970s, James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) rises through the ranks of professional car racing, exhibiting a unique daring and charisma on the track. Meanwhile, the decidedly uncharismatic Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl) splits with his respectable family and uses money and influence to buy himself into the racing game. Hunt and Lauda immediately become rivals -- a rivalry that helps spur them to new heights of greatness. But before long, Lauda's conservatism and Hunt's recklessness start to add up. Hunt's wife (Olivia Wilde) leaves him, while Lauda's relationship with Gemma (Natalie Dormer) becomes stronger. But when Lauda suffers a terrible accident, Hunt has only a short amount of time to make up enough points to become champion.
Is It Any Good?
Working with the great screenwriter Peter Morgan, with RUSH, director Ron Howard creates his best and grittiest movie since the duo's Frost/Nixon (2008), or even Apollo 13 (1995). Perhaps Howard was inspired by his earliest days as a filmmaker, working for B-movie maven Roger Corman and making another car-centric movie, Grand Theft Auto (1977). In any case, Howard seems recharged, delving into complex, multi-dimensional characters. It would be easy to peg the handsome, chiseled Hemsworth as the hero of any movie. But here he's just as flawed as the would-be villain, played by Bruhl with a great deal of intelligence and sympathy. As with any biopic, the supporting players tend to take a back seat to the leads. But the good news is that the characters are interesting enough to overcome Howard's over-excited attempts to supercharge the racing sequences. Rattling footage from between the wheel wells and the road doesn't exactly capture the feel of a race, but many other moments do the trick.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Hunt and Lauda are role models. They're Grand Prix champions, but they're also complex people with weaknesses and dark sides. Does this make them bad people?
Could Rush have been made without the violent crashes and their bloody aftermath? Is this what people really watching racing to see? Why or why not?
Why does Hunt turn to sex, alcohol, and smoking when he's feeling victorious? Does the movie glamorize these things? Are there any realistic consequences?
What's the difference between "likable" Hollywood characters and the characters shown in this movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 20, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : January 28, 2014
- Cast : Chris Hemsworth , Daniel Bruhl , Olivia Wilde
- Director : Ron Howard
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks ) , History
- Run time : 123 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual content, nudity, language, some disturbing images and brief drug use
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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