'Gran Turismo' review: Stylish gamer turned racer tale crosses finish line

There's a way that being a video game expert can make you feel like you're ready to take on the real life task you've mastered on the console: I'm so good at "Madden" that the NFL should be recruiting me, or, I've played enough "Call of Duty," now I'm ready for battle.

You're not, of course, but "Gran Turismo" makes that fantasy a reality. The slick racing drama is based on the true story of a gamer turned racer who learned all the tricks of being an ace race car driver by logging untold hours playing PlayStation in his bedroom. It doesn't cut the corners on the difficulties of transitioning from holding a controller to gripping a steering wheel and whipping around a course at 200 mph, but the film is at least one argument against parents who yell at their children that all that time spent playing video games won't lead to anything in the real world.

In the case of Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe), it did. Mardenborough is a mild-mannered biracial kid growing up in Cardiff, Wales, who is Zen-level at "Gran Turismo," PlayStation's racing simulation game which was introduced in 1997 and has kicked out six sequels and numerous offshoots.

Dad (Djimon Hounsou) wants him to quit messing around playing games and go after something more stable; as a former football player, he knows the hard crash after a dream dries up. But an opportunity presents itself when Nissan exec Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom), in a transparent bid to sell more cars, decides to hold a contest for "Gran Turismo" players where the best of the best will be rounded up and compete in a tournament — "Top Gun" for gamers — with the winner getting a chance to put those racing skills to the test IRL.

The would-be racers will need some training from a pro, so Danny recruits Jack Salter (David Harbour), a grizzled ex-driver who, of course, thinks the whole idea of putting gamers behind the wheel of a highly tuned professional race car is crazypants. Which it is, but Jann takes the tournament and proves his mettle behind an actual steering wheel, and this unlikely duo joins forces to shake up the racing world.

"Gran Turismo" doesn't lack for sports movie clichés, and the basic framework is familiar to any number of tales of underdogs overcoming the odds. But director Neill Blomkamp ("District 9") adds just enough torque to the tale, spicing things up with innovative editing and swooping camerawork (some of the racing footage recalls Michael Bay's drones-gone-wild shots from last year's "Ambulance") to help get it over the finish line. (Jann's tick of soothing himself with the sounds of Kenny G and Enya before big races is another endearing flourish.)

That's not to say it's without its rough patches, and in a year of brand movies — see "Barbie" to "Blackberry" and beyond — "Gran Turismo" may be the brandiest of them all, pummeling viewers with crossover ads for Sony, Puma, Rolex, Ferrari, Michelin and more. It's an all-out smorgasbord of corporate sponsorship. But that's the world today, especially in the hyper-branded world of racing, and it would be foolish to ignore it or act like it doesn't exist. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

agraham@detroitnews.com

'Gran Turismo'

GRADE: B-

Rated PG-13: for intense action and some strong language

Running time: 135 minutes

In theaters