Love The Beast

Review by Anthony Morris

Eric Bana calls his car (a 1974 Ford XB GT Falcon coupe he has had since he was a teenager) "The Beast". 

So right from the get go you have got a pretty good idea what to expect here - and a RTA safety ad isn't exactly it. 

As Eric Bana's acting career has taken him from Melbourne's suburbs to Hollywood stardom, his car has been a constant connection to his former life. 

Of course, becoming a Hollywood big shot does have its advantages, such as the ability to spend a fortune turning "The Beast" into the ultimate driving machine. 

But when Bana decides to grab a bunch of his childhood mates and form a team to take "The Beast" out on the gruelling Targa road race in Tasmania, his good fortune might come to an abrupt stop. 

This documentary is a low budget car worshipping labour of love, even if few low budget film makers can talk cars with Dr Phil, Jay Leno and Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson (who, by the way, is not all that impressed with the car Bana has chosen to worship). 

Love The Beast tries hard to delve into Bana's love for his car, but while his car is admittedly an impressive piece of work Bana remains far more interesting than his mode of transport. 

The moments where we see him living his life (whether it is at a Hollywood red carpet premiere or hanging out with his family and friends) are the moments where this film works. 

Unless you are a car fanatic, everything outside of that is just an extended car commercial.

3 out of 5

Love The Beast
Australian release: 12th March, 2009
Official Site: Love The Beast
Cast: Eric Bana, Jay Leno, Jeremy Clarkson, Phil McGraw
Director: Eric Bana