When doing what you love is a form of suicide.

Or: the ending of F1 and Just in Time.

The latter is more explicit about it. This new musical portrays Bobby Darin as being aware that continuing to perform would hasten his sickly demise…yet he forges ahead, because he’d rather sing and dance himself into an earlier grave than live longer off the stage. 

F1’s final scene strikes a similar note, albeit subtler, behind the patina of visuals that scream, “Happily Ever After.” While it may look like Brad Pitt’s character is enjoying a more peaceful version of his beloved racing, we’ve already learned that being behind the wheel will ultimately kill him. 

Yet there he is, riding over potentially fatal sand-dunes in another reckless sport. Is he driving into his proverbial sunset? And, earlier in this new movie, when he tells Kerry Condon’s character that he’ll see her further down the road…like, in the afterlife??

He wants no existence outside of racing, in the same way Bobby Darin wanted no life outside the musical spotlight.