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Love the Beast (2008)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.4/10
Reviews Counted: 22
Fresh: 13 | Rotten: 9

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 572

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Movie Info

Millions of viewers are familiar with Aussie actor Eric Bana from his Hollywood blockbuster work, notably in Black Hawk Down (2001), Hulk (2003) and Munich (2005). Bana steps away from fiction and doubles as director-and-star with this unusual and highly personal outing, a documentary concerning the thespian's deep-seated love of his classic sports car. Nicknamed "The Beast," the vehicle in question is a Ford GT Falcon Coupe that Bana received secondhand from his father and has rebuilt on

R, 1 hr. 32 min.

Documentary, Special Interest

Directed By: Eric Bana

In Theaters: Mar 12, 2009 Wide

On DVD: Jul 13, 2010

Madman Entertainment

Love the Beast Trailer & Photos

Cast

Critic Reviews for Love the Beast

All Critics (23) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (9) | DVD (1)

Bana's easygoing manner and a lingering sense of nostalgia build a mellow mood overall, while shrewd editing by Conor O'Neill and a rocking Aussie soundtrack pump up the volume on the race sequences.

April 3, 2009 Comment

Megan Lehmann

Hollywood Reporter

Top Critic

Bana packs plenty of visual grunt for revhead auds, but his misty-eyed narration and awkwardly staged probing of man-car love with an Oz TV psychologist veer close to vanity-project potholes.

March 19, 2009 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Richard Kuipers

Variety

Top Critic

Unless you share Bana's worship of screeching tyres and throbbing engines then this is probably something you only really need to see on the small screen.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Daily Express

| Comment

Allan Hunter

Daily Express

An indulgent but moving account of a decades-long love affair with his first car.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine

| Comment

Empire Magazine

Bana exudes downhome blokeyness throughout, but an hour of this will be enough for most, after which egomania fatigue sets in. Add another star if you're a petrolhead, two if you really like Eric Bana and cars, three if you're his mum.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Trevor Johnston

Time Out

An innocuous if not entirely successful attempt to convince "non-car people" about the joys of loving a 1974 Ford Falcon XB coupe.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Times [UK]

| Comment

Kevin Maher

Times [UK]

Bana may not be a star exactly swaddled in charisma, but what mystique he did have is disassembled as comprehensively as that coupe's innards.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Guardian [UK]

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Catherine Shoard

Guardian [UK]

Slight but unexpectedly sweet.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Total Film

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Jamie Russell

Total Film

Although it helps to be a car nut to watch this, Bana's unpretentious passion is infectious.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Radio Times

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John Ferguson

Radio Times

You would have to love Eric Bana and his souped-up old racer to appreciate this car-themed documentary.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: This is London

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Derek Malcolm

This is London

This self-directed vanity project shows the actor as a decent bloke who keeps in touch with his old mates from home, but that goodwill is squandered by earnest interviews with fellow petrolheads.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Independent

| Comment

Anthony Quinn

Independent

Petrolheads can probably go ahead and add an extra star but otherwise Love the Beast is a likeable and occasionally moving documentary, even if it's not quite the success it could have been.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: ViewLondon

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Matthew Turner

ViewLondon

'non-car people' will find themselves forced into the position of disengaged anthropologist, observing all the vehicular bump and grind without gaining any real insight or emotional connection from the experience.

November 13, 2009 Full Review Source: Eye for Film

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Anton Bitel

Eye for Film

Love the Beast is a solid film about car lovers, for car lovers. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them.

July 30, 2009 Full Review Source: Moviedex

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Anders Wotzke

Moviedex

Through narration, interviews, and cinematographic fawning over their chassis, classic American cars are celebrated for their imperfect character, which makes them seem vibrantly alive.

May 3, 2009 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine

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Nick Schager

Slant Magazine

Although it's the shiny red 1974 Ford Falcon coupe that occupies the screen time, it's Eric Bana who engages in this very personal look at the boy from suburban Melbourne, Australia who might have been a racing car driver.

March 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Screenwize

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Simon Weaving

Screenwize

Digs enthusiastically into the rarely seriously discussed issue of the bond that can exist between man and machine.

March 13, 2009 Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia)

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Erin Free

FILMINK (Australia)

Slight but engaging.

March 13, 2009 Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National

| Comment

Julie Rigg

MovieTime, ABC Radio National

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Audience Reviews for Love the Beast

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In 'Love the Beast' two things are going on; 1) Eric Bana is learning how to make a film 2) Eric Bana is trying to be a racing driver. He doesn't really do a brilliant job at either. This feels like a real sickly buddy movie but without the buddy, or at least the buddy is a 1974 Ford Falcon coupe (A big red car). An

July 1, 2010

Anthony Lawrie

Super Reviewer

Bana makes a film about himself - a brave move for a directorial debut. Luckily he's quite an interesting person, as is the subject: his 25 year love affair with his car. The chats with Clarkson and Leno are great but the interest wanes around the middle and there's a sag before the finish. Definitely one for car

February 10, 2011