Gran Turismo Ending Explained: Gamers, Rise Up
This article contains spoilers for "Gran Turismo," particularly the ending (duh).
It's the quintessential rags-to-riches tale of the 21st Century. A group of highly-skilled gamers is plucked out of digital anonymity around the world, subjected to a grueling and intensive training academy, and then placed in enormously expensive and wildly dangerous racecars to compete against much older and more experienced pros. What could go wrong?
Director Neill Blomkamp's latest feature, "Gran Turismo" (which I reviewed for /Film here), tells the shockingly true story of how Nissan and PlayStation partnered up for one of the most unbelievable stunts in professional sports history. Centered on young gamer-turned-racer Jann Mardenborough (played by Archie Madekwe), the film takes him from his gaming computer in the suburbs of Cardiff to the fastest and most difficult racetracks across the entire globe ... all thanks to the efforts of Nissan marketing executive Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom), the brainchild behind the entire venture, and washed-up racer Jack Salter (David Harbour), persuaded to take up training duties for the young recruits at GT Academy.
While the film takes certain liberties in depicting the life and events of Jann's rapid ascension to the top of the racing world, the end result parallels the real-life figure's actual success. After shrugging off years of self-doubt, setbacks, and even a tragic accident that could've put the entire program in jeopardy, Jann proved his worth and ultimately placed third at the grueling, 24-hour race at Le Mans. The triumphant final act of "Gran Turismo" chronicles this unlikely feat against all odds, emphasizing the incredible amount of difficulty to stand toe-to-toe with the best racecar drivers in the world. For those who've now experienced this thrill ride in theaters, let's dig deeper into it.
What you need to remember about the plot of Gran Turismo
When the film opens with an almost "Top Gun"-like title card explaining the basics of the plot and the recruitment effort aimed squarely at fans of the popular franchise of racing games, it's clear that "Gran Turismo" is attempting to skirt its video game roots by modeling itself as much more of a straightforward sports drama/biopic. After Danny Moore's desperate efforts to convince anyone to go along with his marketing scheme to put gamers in racecars leads him to a skeptical Jack Salter, the film shifts gears to focus on young Jann. Between disappointment in the eyes of his disapproving father and former professional soccer player Steve (Djimon Hounsou), his own penchant for recklessness that leads him on a brief chase from police, and the fact that he spends all his time on racing simulator video games, it's quickly made abundantly clear that Jann is destined for bigger and better things. That opportunity comes knocking once he enters the "Gran Turismo" racing competition and is soon ushered into GT Academy.
Much of this portion of the film relies on speedy montages and fairly typical moments of budding rivalries, friendships, and even romance with a hometown friend named Audrey (Maeve Courtier-Lilley), sandwiched around Jack's struggles to whip these kids into athletic shape while taking their nascent abilities and honing them for the actual racetrack. The cutthroat competition whittles down the field to just a handful of hopefuls, Jann among them. The final qualifying race for who will win the official Gran Turismo and Nissan sponsorship comes down to Jann and main rival Matty Davis (Darren Barnet), with mere milliseconds separating the two as they cross the finish line. Jann comes out on top and the rest is history.
What happened at the end of Gran Turismo?
Yet as much as this victory in the GT Academy throws open the door and allows him to make a foothold in the racing industry, Jann's ultimate journey to the final destination of Le Mans is anything but a straight line. Several disappointing showings in the early going only reinforce how much experience the young man lacks, while the powers that be (represented mainly by Danny) begin to question their choice to go with Jann rather than the more media-friendly and charismatic Matty. But even as Jann begins to wrack up much more respectable finishes and steadily gains his confidence, a disaster of a performance in Germany threatens to set everything back.
In the film's most controversial adaptation choice, "Gran Turismo" recreates a very real-life crash that Jann experienced, a crash that resulted in the death of a spectator in the stands. In the film, this happens early enough in his career that he begins to spiral mentally and question whether he's even capable of continuing on his path or not. After a much-needed pep talk by Jack, who admits he gave up on racing as a result of his own crash and the inadvertent death of a driver, the guilt-ridden Jann picks himself up and seeks to prove himself all over again. After putting their heads together, Danny breaks the news that the only way to get back on track involves competing in the grueling and immensely challenging 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.
This rousing final stretch of the film charts the team-up between Yann and fellow GTA alum Matty and Antonio (Pepe Barroso) as they race to finish in third — with the reputation of the entire GT program at stake.
What the end of Gran Turismo means
Anyone who's watched a typical biopic or sports drama won't likely be thrown off by "Gran Turismo" and its fairly straightforward ending. The Le Mans race lives up to its billing as the toughest, most intimidating in the entire film, throwing all kinds of unexpected complications towards Jann and his racing team throughout the day-long affair. But while the real-life Jann competed in this exact race in 2013 and did in fact place third in the end, serving as a springboard to an even more successful career in the long run, the fictional version experiences this win as a capstone to his unprecedented accomplishments and the fulfillment of his arc.
In the midst of this whirlwind, "Gran Turismo" takes the time to tie off some loose ends regarding Jann's family, as well. Whilst preparing for the race of his life, his father Steve finally reaches out and mends fences with his son. Admitting that he was focused solely on protecting Jann rather than letting him fulfill his potential, the tearful father reconciles with the racer and helps set the stage for an emotionally-charged finale. With his girlfriend Audrey in attendance along with his mother, brother, and the entire Nissan leadership, the stakes couldn't possibly be higher. Rain, fog, and fatigue all combine to turn the track even more treacherous, with Jann compelled to sub in for his flagging teammate and finish the race. Relying on his outside-the-box instincts, he manages to place third and earn his spot at the podium.
The final montage circles back to the real Jann's exploits, ultimately revealing that he did all the driving stunts for his fictional counterpart. The inspiring true story puts a fitting cap on the entire film.
"Gran Turismo" is currently playing in theaters.