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Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World
An exclusive look inside the surprising history and contentious future of Hollywood’s most unlikely blockbuster—the Fast & Furious franchise—a series that uncannily anticipated the shifting currents of pop culture while changing the business of global entertainment at the same time.
What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now.
Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.
An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, Welcome to the Family exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.
What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now.
Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.
An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, Welcome to the Family exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.
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First published November 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 2, 2026
Finally! The world of The Fast and Furious has been exhaustively researched. I was pleased to witness the birth of a new academic discipline, let's call it: 'Ride or Die' Scholarship.
Universal Pictures isn't into authorized products so The Globe and Mail's Barry Hertz independently interviewed over 200 cast and crew members to produce an ethnography of life "one quarter mile at a time." Hertz didn’t have to go so hard here, but I’m glad he did. In Welcome to the Family, you’ll learn what it takes to get a good movie made, and how forces collide to make a bad one.
You'll get behind-the-scenes history (and gossip) on all 10 Fast films (and the ones currently frozen in production). Although it's a mostly positive story, not everyone comes across well. Vin Diesel is portrayed as self-aggrandizing, an intellectual with high-brow artistic aspirations that his acting and writing talents can't manifest. Diesel's shameless posthumous repositioning of Paul Walker as his "best friend" is especially eyebrow-raising. He's not the only troublemaker on set. This book maps out the bad behaviours of B-list stars with A-list egos. Hertz confirms the stories that acting contracts include elaborate rules about choreography to avoid certain men looking weak during fight scenes. Pretty much every man in the current franchise believes they're indispensable. It was amusing to hear that in a cast of dozens of household names, Charlize Theron, arguably the most famous and talented, was also the most professional and humble.
The best parts of the book are the ones that support the biggest point Hertz is trying to make. The Fast franchise is unique because it has portrayed working class diversity from day one, and made deliberate efforts to replicate genuine car culture in each country it portrays on screen. This is the essence of FAMILY. Michelle Rodriguez was also candid about sexism on screen and off, and you get the impression she's rarely given the opportunity to speak on this topic. The chapter discussing how production handled Paul Walker's death was genuinely moving. Walker's peers respected him and worked hard to deliver a final product that would do right by him and his character.
When hardcore fans write about their favourite subject matter, their personal tastes come into play. According to Hertz, 5-time franchise director Justin Lin can do no wrong and neither can fan favourite character Han Lue. I'll allow it, because of my love for Tokyo Drift, Fast 5, and Fast 6. But, Hertz's over-the-top praise of the franchise in the opening chapters might turn you off. He is prone to bombastic language like: "Million-dollar sports cars will sizzle under the California sun, dripping a red-hot sex appeal matched only by their hard-bodied drivers, men who brawl like bruisers but talk like street poets."
If you make it past the introduction, you'll find a good oral history of a movie franchise that went from a Point Break rip-off ... to an international spy thriller ... to that time Roman and Tej drove into space.
Plus, you get to hear Hollywood executives say things like: “We’ve all seen the cars be fast, but have we seen them be… furious?”
Fast X ended on a cliffhanger, with Dominic Toretto and his son Little Brian driving a Dodge Charger over the side of the Aldeadávila Dam. With various production woes and scandals holding up Fast 11, our characters are currently suspended in time. Welcome to the Family makes the case for giving fans an ending to the series. "It's been a long day without you, my friend. And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again."
Universal Pictures isn't into authorized products so The Globe and Mail's Barry Hertz independently interviewed over 200 cast and crew members to produce an ethnography of life "one quarter mile at a time." Hertz didn’t have to go so hard here, but I’m glad he did. In Welcome to the Family, you’ll learn what it takes to get a good movie made, and how forces collide to make a bad one.
You'll get behind-the-scenes history (and gossip) on all 10 Fast films (and the ones currently frozen in production). Although it's a mostly positive story, not everyone comes across well. Vin Diesel is portrayed as self-aggrandizing, an intellectual with high-brow artistic aspirations that his acting and writing talents can't manifest. Diesel's shameless posthumous repositioning of Paul Walker as his "best friend" is especially eyebrow-raising. He's not the only troublemaker on set. This book maps out the bad behaviours of B-list stars with A-list egos. Hertz confirms the stories that acting contracts include elaborate rules about choreography to avoid certain men looking weak during fight scenes. Pretty much every man in the current franchise believes they're indispensable. It was amusing to hear that in a cast of dozens of household names, Charlize Theron, arguably the most famous and talented, was also the most professional and humble.
The best parts of the book are the ones that support the biggest point Hertz is trying to make. The Fast franchise is unique because it has portrayed working class diversity from day one, and made deliberate efforts to replicate genuine car culture in each country it portrays on screen. This is the essence of FAMILY. Michelle Rodriguez was also candid about sexism on screen and off, and you get the impression she's rarely given the opportunity to speak on this topic. The chapter discussing how production handled Paul Walker's death was genuinely moving. Walker's peers respected him and worked hard to deliver a final product that would do right by him and his character.
When hardcore fans write about their favourite subject matter, their personal tastes come into play. According to Hertz, 5-time franchise director Justin Lin can do no wrong and neither can fan favourite character Han Lue. I'll allow it, because of my love for Tokyo Drift, Fast 5, and Fast 6. But, Hertz's over-the-top praise of the franchise in the opening chapters might turn you off. He is prone to bombastic language like: "Million-dollar sports cars will sizzle under the California sun, dripping a red-hot sex appeal matched only by their hard-bodied drivers, men who brawl like bruisers but talk like street poets."
If you make it past the introduction, you'll find a good oral history of a movie franchise that went from a Point Break rip-off ... to an international spy thriller ... to that time Roman and Tej drove into space.
Plus, you get to hear Hollywood executives say things like: “We’ve all seen the cars be fast, but have we seen them be… furious?”
Fast X ended on a cliffhanger, with Dominic Toretto and his son Little Brian driving a Dodge Charger over the side of the Aldeadávila Dam. With various production woes and scandals holding up Fast 11, our characters are currently suspended in time. Welcome to the Family makes the case for giving fans an ending to the series. "It's been a long day without you, my friend. And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again."
May 8, 2026
A real treat for folks who love those movies about fast cars and furiously bald heads. Not only an exhaustive chronicle of the making of the FAST series, but it shines a spotlight on some of the undersung folks (special effects, stunt coordinators, uncredited screenwriters) who've added to its, how you say... je ne sais car.
Hertz doesn't shy away from reporting on the drama and oversized egos behind the scenes, but it never overshadows the work and passion that went into making these films. Unfortunately, it also shows how the series' success and industry demands impede that creativity.
Here's hoping for a 2 WELCOME 2 FAMILY when FAST FOREVER releases (🤞🤞!) and the Toretto saga gets its supposed end.
Hertz doesn't shy away from reporting on the drama and oversized egos behind the scenes, but it never overshadows the work and passion that went into making these films. Unfortunately, it also shows how the series' success and industry demands impede that creativity.
Here's hoping for a 2 WELCOME 2 FAMILY when FAST FOREVER releases (🤞🤞!) and the Toretto saga gets its supposed end.
December 16, 2025
This review was originally published on my website.
Humphrey Bogart. Marlon Brando. Sidney Poitier. James Cagney. Vin Fucking Diesel.
These are just a few of the most celebrated and legendary film actors of all time according to the American Film Institute and in at least one case, most likely, one actor’s own opinion of himself given his own past comparisons to Federico Fellini.
It’s the kind of over-the-top comparison that, when viewed through the lens of The Fast and The Furious film franchise might even be adroit, given the sheer verve and outlandishness those movies are known for. At least until one considers the behind the scenes drama and hubris Diesel brought to the F&F film sets… once he finally showed up on those sets after making the cast and crew wait hours for him to come out of his luxurious trailer demanding rewrites.
As told by Barry Hertz, the lead film writer for Canada’s Globe and Mail, the on-set drama and studio intrigues were just as dramatic and supercharged as anything that made its way into cinemas across ten movies, a spin-off, and an eleventh film still pending to serve as a grand finale to it all, with possibly a second spin-off — if not more! — depending on who’s talking or tweeting and what day it is.
With over two decades in journalism under his belt, Hertz has reviewed thousands of movies and has covered the film world from every angle imaginable. He not only has the bona fides to explore one of Hollywood’s biggest and longest-running franchises, he’s also an unapologetic fan of the Fast and Furious series. His love for these movies shines throughout Welcome to the Family’s page count, but his behind-the-scenes reportage is blessedly far from a hagiography. Hertz maintains a critical eye, noting where these movies slipped a gear in equal measure to all of their many successes.
And make no mistake, The Fast and the Furious series has indeed been successful for Universal Studios and its lead stars. Beginning in 2001, with the introduction of thief and outlaw racer Dominic Toretto and the undercover cop, Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner, The Fast and the Furious was based on a 1998 Vibe Magazine article by Kevin Li about New York City’s underground street racing scene. The movie itself was a Point Break riff revolving around a truckload of stolen DVD players and a $38 million budget. By today’s standards, and the evolution this series would undergo across it’s many sequels, The Fast and The Furious is damn near a quaint and quiet indie crime flick. It was never meant to be a hit, let alone a monstrous global sensation, with Universal seeking only to fill a hole in its summer release schedule with a modestly funded effort. Audiences responded, thanks in large part to the diversity of the cast, with minorities finding and welcoming the on-screen representation, which would only increase in subsequent sequels.
The Fast and The Furious was the kind of flick that, if made today, right-wingers would decry it for being woke thanks to the multicultural found family at the heart of it all. There’s Toretto himself who, thanks to Diesel’s ambiguous ethnicity and increasingly mixed Toretto bloodline, can virtually pass as whatever he wants to be wherever the script demands. He fits in the working-class streets of Los Angeles as easily as in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, or Italy, blending in with hardly anyone noticing or caring, especially during high-octane drag races. He’s surrounded by a clan of killers, racers, thieves, and cops who have all become family to him, like his bad-ass Latina wife, Letty, as played by Michelle Rodriguez; the blond-haired, blue-eyed white surfer boy ideal of Walker’s Brian; Korean Han Lue; Black Roman Pearce and Tej Parker; and the British assassin Deckard Shaw. From it’s very inception, F&F was diverse before diversity was a concern, let alone a buzzword in Hollywood casting departments and the bane of a fascist US president. That sense of far-ranging family extends beyond the films, too, with the behind-the-scenes players working so closely together over so many years that they’ve become almost like a family unto themselves, particularly director Justin Lin and his talented crew.
Each sequel only helped to bring more diversity to the silver screen as the cast grew and the stories themselves hopped all across the globe, transforming this franchise into an epic, worldly affair that helped lay the groundwork for what is now a Hollywood staple that damn near every film franchise seeks to replicate: the cinematic universe. F&F was the MCU before the MCU became a household “everything is connected” experience. As the stakes grew and the danger increased, and the stunts got wilder, the Fast universe grew as connected as it was diverse, developing a needlessly complex, labyrinthine mythology that would eventually bend time and resurrect fallen heroes as these street racers evolved into world-saving dynamos and espionage artists that would go to the moon and back.
As Hertz writes, it wasn’t just on-screen that tensions grew as these larger-than-life heroes transformed into giants. Paul Walker’s death in a motor vehicle accident in 2013, during the Thanksgiving break from filming Furious 7, was a tragedy that nearly took the franchise with him and gave rise actors’ concerns about having their likenesses replicated by CGI well before deceased actors were brought back from the grave for Star Wars: Rogue One and Alien: Romulus. Then there was the off-screen feuding between Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who joined the Fast family for a time beginning with Fast Five, as a brawny DSS agent gunning for Toretto, which would escalate into a war of words that was almost as exciting as their on-screen rivalry. Diesel, who hadn’t seen much success outside of the Fast franchise despite efforts to make xXx a thing and a famous misstep in the family action comedy The Pacifier, comes off the worst in Hertz’s reporting, with various sources, both named and anonymous, citing instances of unprofessionalism and unchecked ego that would become the thorn in the side of Universal executives, producers, and directors. Yet, for all the baggage Diesel brought to these film’s developments, it clearly came from a place of love and a desire to see these movies succeed and evolve, even if some — like teasing potential reappearances of Walker’s Brian, who has been kept alive in the films despite the actor’s passing — are supremely questionable.
Egos and muscles weren’t the only thing inflating on the sets of these flicks, either, with each movie’s budget growing larger and larger. The box office receipts made it a worthwhile investment — until it didn’t, and the low returns on Fast X, the first in an announced two-part finale, has put the fate of Furious into serious question while the end (Fast 11? Fast X: Part Two?) lingers in development hell.
Love ‘em or leave ‘em, one thing that is very clear throughout Hertz’s writing is the amount of passion that went into making each one of these films. Plenty of time is spent writing about not just the explosive set pieces, which continually up the ante not only from one movie to the next but from one scene to the next, but the stunt workers who brought them to life, along with the directors, producers, and CGI artists who helped refine and bring each moment to the next level, pushing the limits of filmmaking technology and even creating new tools and methods along the way to get things just right. Given the amount of cars, pyrotechnics, choreography, and forethought — not to mention how to film as much of it practically as possible — this was no mean feat, particularly given the lack of specificity in these movie’s scripts, which detail these high octane rushes as little more than “the biggest, most amazing action scene you’ve ever see!!!!!” A lot of heart and soul went into making these movies, and all the questionable amount of money that was spent producing them appears on-screen.
I went into Welcome to the Family as a fellow traveler with Hertz. Like the author, I was a fan of these flicks, too, viewing them as little more than big, dumb, highly memeable, blue-collar Bond flicks with macho men, beautiful women, outrageous stunts, and increasingly silly scenarios that threatened to jump the shark, or at least try to outrace it with an injection of NOS. Welcome to the Family gave me a deeper appreciation for these movies, though, thanks to Hertz’s exploration of the various minds behind it all and their motivations and desires to make some of the biggest spectacles committed to film. It may not seem like it at first blush, but there’s actually a hell of a lot of brains, talent, and calculations (even beyond the financial kind) that goes into making these movies. One might not think of The Fast and The Furious film franchise as smart art, but they certainly are smartly made, and with a hell of a lot of heart, too.
Humphrey Bogart. Marlon Brando. Sidney Poitier. James Cagney. Vin Fucking Diesel.
These are just a few of the most celebrated and legendary film actors of all time according to the American Film Institute and in at least one case, most likely, one actor’s own opinion of himself given his own past comparisons to Federico Fellini.
It’s the kind of over-the-top comparison that, when viewed through the lens of The Fast and The Furious film franchise might even be adroit, given the sheer verve and outlandishness those movies are known for. At least until one considers the behind the scenes drama and hubris Diesel brought to the F&F film sets… once he finally showed up on those sets after making the cast and crew wait hours for him to come out of his luxurious trailer demanding rewrites.
As told by Barry Hertz, the lead film writer for Canada’s Globe and Mail, the on-set drama and studio intrigues were just as dramatic and supercharged as anything that made its way into cinemas across ten movies, a spin-off, and an eleventh film still pending to serve as a grand finale to it all, with possibly a second spin-off — if not more! — depending on who’s talking or tweeting and what day it is.
With over two decades in journalism under his belt, Hertz has reviewed thousands of movies and has covered the film world from every angle imaginable. He not only has the bona fides to explore one of Hollywood’s biggest and longest-running franchises, he’s also an unapologetic fan of the Fast and Furious series. His love for these movies shines throughout Welcome to the Family’s page count, but his behind-the-scenes reportage is blessedly far from a hagiography. Hertz maintains a critical eye, noting where these movies slipped a gear in equal measure to all of their many successes.
And make no mistake, The Fast and the Furious series has indeed been successful for Universal Studios and its lead stars. Beginning in 2001, with the introduction of thief and outlaw racer Dominic Toretto and the undercover cop, Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner, The Fast and the Furious was based on a 1998 Vibe Magazine article by Kevin Li about New York City’s underground street racing scene. The movie itself was a Point Break riff revolving around a truckload of stolen DVD players and a $38 million budget. By today’s standards, and the evolution this series would undergo across it’s many sequels, The Fast and The Furious is damn near a quaint and quiet indie crime flick. It was never meant to be a hit, let alone a monstrous global sensation, with Universal seeking only to fill a hole in its summer release schedule with a modestly funded effort. Audiences responded, thanks in large part to the diversity of the cast, with minorities finding and welcoming the on-screen representation, which would only increase in subsequent sequels.
The Fast and The Furious was the kind of flick that, if made today, right-wingers would decry it for being woke thanks to the multicultural found family at the heart of it all. There’s Toretto himself who, thanks to Diesel’s ambiguous ethnicity and increasingly mixed Toretto bloodline, can virtually pass as whatever he wants to be wherever the script demands. He fits in the working-class streets of Los Angeles as easily as in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, or Italy, blending in with hardly anyone noticing or caring, especially during high-octane drag races. He’s surrounded by a clan of killers, racers, thieves, and cops who have all become family to him, like his bad-ass Latina wife, Letty, as played by Michelle Rodriguez; the blond-haired, blue-eyed white surfer boy ideal of Walker’s Brian; Korean Han Lue; Black Roman Pearce and Tej Parker; and the British assassin Deckard Shaw. From it’s very inception, F&F was diverse before diversity was a concern, let alone a buzzword in Hollywood casting departments and the bane of a fascist US president. That sense of far-ranging family extends beyond the films, too, with the behind-the-scenes players working so closely together over so many years that they’ve become almost like a family unto themselves, particularly director Justin Lin and his talented crew.
Each sequel only helped to bring more diversity to the silver screen as the cast grew and the stories themselves hopped all across the globe, transforming this franchise into an epic, worldly affair that helped lay the groundwork for what is now a Hollywood staple that damn near every film franchise seeks to replicate: the cinematic universe. F&F was the MCU before the MCU became a household “everything is connected” experience. As the stakes grew and the danger increased, and the stunts got wilder, the Fast universe grew as connected as it was diverse, developing a needlessly complex, labyrinthine mythology that would eventually bend time and resurrect fallen heroes as these street racers evolved into world-saving dynamos and espionage artists that would go to the moon and back.
As Hertz writes, it wasn’t just on-screen that tensions grew as these larger-than-life heroes transformed into giants. Paul Walker’s death in a motor vehicle accident in 2013, during the Thanksgiving break from filming Furious 7, was a tragedy that nearly took the franchise with him and gave rise actors’ concerns about having their likenesses replicated by CGI well before deceased actors were brought back from the grave for Star Wars: Rogue One and Alien: Romulus. Then there was the off-screen feuding between Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who joined the Fast family for a time beginning with Fast Five, as a brawny DSS agent gunning for Toretto, which would escalate into a war of words that was almost as exciting as their on-screen rivalry. Diesel, who hadn’t seen much success outside of the Fast franchise despite efforts to make xXx a thing and a famous misstep in the family action comedy The Pacifier, comes off the worst in Hertz’s reporting, with various sources, both named and anonymous, citing instances of unprofessionalism and unchecked ego that would become the thorn in the side of Universal executives, producers, and directors. Yet, for all the baggage Diesel brought to these film’s developments, it clearly came from a place of love and a desire to see these movies succeed and evolve, even if some — like teasing potential reappearances of Walker’s Brian, who has been kept alive in the films despite the actor’s passing — are supremely questionable.
Egos and muscles weren’t the only thing inflating on the sets of these flicks, either, with each movie’s budget growing larger and larger. The box office receipts made it a worthwhile investment — until it didn’t, and the low returns on Fast X, the first in an announced two-part finale, has put the fate of Furious into serious question while the end (Fast 11? Fast X: Part Two?) lingers in development hell.
Love ‘em or leave ‘em, one thing that is very clear throughout Hertz’s writing is the amount of passion that went into making each one of these films. Plenty of time is spent writing about not just the explosive set pieces, which continually up the ante not only from one movie to the next but from one scene to the next, but the stunt workers who brought them to life, along with the directors, producers, and CGI artists who helped refine and bring each moment to the next level, pushing the limits of filmmaking technology and even creating new tools and methods along the way to get things just right. Given the amount of cars, pyrotechnics, choreography, and forethought — not to mention how to film as much of it practically as possible — this was no mean feat, particularly given the lack of specificity in these movie’s scripts, which detail these high octane rushes as little more than “the biggest, most amazing action scene you’ve ever see!!!!!” A lot of heart and soul went into making these movies, and all the questionable amount of money that was spent producing them appears on-screen.
I went into Welcome to the Family as a fellow traveler with Hertz. Like the author, I was a fan of these flicks, too, viewing them as little more than big, dumb, highly memeable, blue-collar Bond flicks with macho men, beautiful women, outrageous stunts, and increasingly silly scenarios that threatened to jump the shark, or at least try to outrace it with an injection of NOS. Welcome to the Family gave me a deeper appreciation for these movies, though, thanks to Hertz’s exploration of the various minds behind it all and their motivations and desires to make some of the biggest spectacles committed to film. It may not seem like it at first blush, but there’s actually a hell of a lot of brains, talent, and calculations (even beyond the financial kind) that goes into making these movies. One might not think of The Fast and The Furious film franchise as smart art, but they certainly are smartly made, and with a hell of a lot of heart, too.
May 22, 2026
Way better than it has any right to be. Fast and Furious fans would love this book if they knew how to read.
December 24, 2025
3.5 Stars
January 9, 2026
Vin Diesel is such a weirdo! 5 stars for FAMILY.
February 21, 2026
A book about my favorite bad movie franchise? Yes, please. This is a look at the behind-the-scenes development and production of the ten F&F films plus Hobbs & Shaw. It works better on audiobook than written word as Barry Hertz (the author and narrator) overcomes some of his poor quality writing with solid narration. If you just cannot get enough of the wonderful stupidity of the Fast franchise, you'll like this. If not, skip it, duh. 4 stars.
March 23, 2026
5/5
"Welcome to the Family" is a wildly entertaining read that chronicles the Fast and Furious movie saga in great detail, interviewing hundreds of people involved in the films. If you're even a casual fan of not just F&F but blockbuster film history as a whole, then buckle in and prepare yourself for one rad ride.
"Welcome to the Family" is a wildly entertaining read that chronicles the Fast and Furious movie saga in great detail, interviewing hundreds of people involved in the films. If you're even a casual fan of not just F&F but blockbuster film history as a whole, then buckle in and prepare yourself for one rad ride.
March 23, 2026
Review: 4½ stars.
Exactly what you expect and want from a book like this. Hertz does a great job narrating the audiobook himself too.
The only downside is the lack of a definitive conclusion, but it's not Hertz fault that the latest (final?) film, Fast X, has left the entire series on a cliffhanger, on and off the screen.
Exactly what you expect and want from a book like this. Hertz does a great job narrating the audiobook himself too.
The only downside is the lack of a definitive conclusion, but it's not Hertz fault that the latest (final?) film, Fast X, has left the entire series on a cliffhanger, on and off the screen.
December 6, 2025
This was such an entertaining and informative read! We watched all the Fast & Furious movies during Covid and found the increasing absurdity delightful and funny. Fast Five was the first one we ever saw and remains the fave, so I especially loved hearing insights about how came to be. I didn’t know about the magazine story that inspired the first movie! He also makes some great points about how much multicultural representation these movies had before everyone expected diversity to be a priority.
All in all, this was fun and didn’t drag at all. I learned a ton! The author definitely comes across as a fanboy of both the franchise and Justin Lin, but that’s okay.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Would recommend this to anyone who’s seen the movies and is interested in learning more about how they came to be and what makes them unique and worth appreciating.
Now I need to rewatch the movies 👀 Or at least 1, 3, and 5.
All in all, this was fun and didn’t drag at all. I learned a ton! The author definitely comes across as a fanboy of both the franchise and Justin Lin, but that’s okay.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Would recommend this to anyone who’s seen the movies and is interested in learning more about how they came to be and what makes them unique and worth appreciating.
Now I need to rewatch the movies 👀 Or at least 1, 3, and 5.
April 6, 2026
After being burned by the MCU unofficial history book, I was a little hesitant about this one, but one chapter in and I realized how refreshingly well-written the prose was, that I knew I was going to have a good time. Some fun facts I didn't know before (Joseph Gordon Levitt almost got the lead role in Tokyo Drift!); really enjoyable secondary chapters between each film's production.
John Cena and Louis Letterrier, surprisingly enough, come out looking the best.
John Cena and Louis Letterrier, surprisingly enough, come out looking the best.
April 9, 2026
I sadly must break my New Year’s resolution of no longer writing Goodreads reviews because Barry has done it* again!
Run, don’t walk. No! Drive! Drive fast! And dangerously! Possibly with 0 regard for human life (but you didn’t get that advice from me) to your nearest book retailer to buy this book!
*In this instance “it” refers to Barry entertaining me with his written pieces and previous professional conversations on the topic of Schlock.
Run, don’t walk. No! Drive! Drive fast! And dangerously! Possibly with 0 regard for human life (but you didn’t get that advice from me) to your nearest book retailer to buy this book!
*In this instance “it” refers to Barry entertaining me with his written pieces and previous professional conversations on the topic of Schlock.
May 27, 2026
I'm still not coming back here to regularly write reviews and track stuff because that's too time consuming-come visit me on Storygraph for those. But I did devour this book quickly and also I loved it 12/10 a Very Good Time for me specifically. Have you watched this series yet. Would you like someone to watch it with you and tell you Many Interesting Things about it. The answer to those should be yes and you should call me.
January 13, 2026
Really enjoyed learning more about the series. Justin Lin is the true hero and surprisingly the whole series stems from Tokyo Drift. Also loved the ancestors about Vin being a total d-bag.
December 2, 2025
Everyone has those movies that really stick with you over the years for many different reasons.
The Fast and the Furious
is one of those films for me. From seeing the film on opening day to watching the DVD in my garage with my buddies, this film has stayed with throughout my life. In
Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World
, Barry Hertz dives deep into why these films have lasted so long and what makes them so special in the first place.
What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious universe: the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now.
Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.
An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, Welcome to the Family exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.
I have seen many movies in the theaters over the years, but there are few I vividly remember attending the theater to watch. One of those few is The Fast and The Furious. It was the summer of my Freshman year at Bangor High School and nothing was going to stop me from sitting direct center to watch Vin Diesel and Paul Walker take to the streets in their modified cars.
Hertz brings to light some of the amazing behind-the-scenes moments from how the first film was made to how it grew to become Universal's biggest franchise ever and the eighth highest-grossing film series of all time, with a combined gross of over $7 billion. With hundreds of interviews, Hertz breaks down the creation of each film in the 11-film series including The Fast and The Furious, Hobbs & Shaw , and the latest installment Fast X .
What surprised me the most is how much of an impact these films have had on the industry over the years, especially how they have been the butt end of a joke here and there and they started as a simple street racing film. The cultural, cinematic, and visual effects were groundbreaking at times to an extent I never imagined. While not a single actor has been in all of the films, the cast they have built over the years is incredible, while still trying to keep the original group together. However, the diversity of race, gender, and age has been a catalyst to the films success in the box office for 25 years.
When I first decided to read Welcome to the Family , I was coming from a spot of the impact the film had on my high school years and how it would be fun to reminisce about those times. However, what I got out of this book was so much more. The Fast and the Furious Saga is so much bigger than its blockbuster numbers and the drama that can sometimes surround it, but its a series that has stood the test of time and found a way to capture audiences over many years. Hertz did his homework and it shows in this book.
Welcome to the Family by Barry Hertz is an incredible deep dive into the world of The Fast and the Furious. The author sheds light on behind-the-scenes development of these films, their cultural and cinematic impact on the world of film as well as how they have been able to create over 10 films that have grossed north of $7 billion. Hertz not only brought me back to my high school years, but reinvigorated my love for this franchise as a whole.
Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World is available at bookstores everywhere from Grand Central Publishing. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is available via Libro.fm!
What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious universe: the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now.
Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.
An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, Welcome to the Family exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.
I have seen many movies in the theaters over the years, but there are few I vividly remember attending the theater to watch. One of those few is The Fast and The Furious. It was the summer of my Freshman year at Bangor High School and nothing was going to stop me from sitting direct center to watch Vin Diesel and Paul Walker take to the streets in their modified cars.
Hertz brings to light some of the amazing behind-the-scenes moments from how the first film was made to how it grew to become Universal's biggest franchise ever and the eighth highest-grossing film series of all time, with a combined gross of over $7 billion. With hundreds of interviews, Hertz breaks down the creation of each film in the 11-film series including The Fast and The Furious, Hobbs & Shaw , and the latest installment Fast X .
What surprised me the most is how much of an impact these films have had on the industry over the years, especially how they have been the butt end of a joke here and there and they started as a simple street racing film. The cultural, cinematic, and visual effects were groundbreaking at times to an extent I never imagined. While not a single actor has been in all of the films, the cast they have built over the years is incredible, while still trying to keep the original group together. However, the diversity of race, gender, and age has been a catalyst to the films success in the box office for 25 years.
When I first decided to read Welcome to the Family , I was coming from a spot of the impact the film had on my high school years and how it would be fun to reminisce about those times. However, what I got out of this book was so much more. The Fast and the Furious Saga is so much bigger than its blockbuster numbers and the drama that can sometimes surround it, but its a series that has stood the test of time and found a way to capture audiences over many years. Hertz did his homework and it shows in this book.
Welcome to the Family by Barry Hertz is an incredible deep dive into the world of The Fast and the Furious. The author sheds light on behind-the-scenes development of these films, their cultural and cinematic impact on the world of film as well as how they have been able to create over 10 films that have grossed north of $7 billion. Hertz not only brought me back to my high school years, but reinvigorated my love for this franchise as a whole.
Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World is available at bookstores everywhere from Grand Central Publishing. The audiobook, narrated by the author, is available via Libro.fm!
November 1, 2025
AMAZING! Such an entertaining read that provides fascinating insight into the mega-budget movie industry. F&F fans will love this book, but so will anyone interested in Hollywood, cars, big stars, big egos, and the perennial tension between making art and making money. Highly recommend.
October 25, 2025
My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advance copy of this book that looks at one of the speediest and infuriated movie series of the last twenty five years, one with a rich mythology, a more than healthy box office, and the cause of many disputes, lawsuits and cast changes.
True confession. I am not a fan of the The Fast and Furious franchise. I like cars, the original Gone in 60 Seconds is a comfort movie, Vanishing Point is beloved film, and I was a huge fan of the Dukes of Hazard, just like a stunt driver featured in this book. The movies never clicked with me. I saw the first in theaters, the second and third on video, the others on broadcast TV, and those just in snippets. I was aware of the storyline, it was hard being on-line and not knowing things, but they were not a film I paid attention to. However I am a big fan of books about Hollywood, which is why I thought I would read this. I am really glad I did, for this book offered me a different view of the movies, not a fan's look, but from the perspective of a person who loves movies, and really who can't love big stunts, and boffo action. And family. And the behind-the-scenes machinations that make big box office. Also I gained new respect for certain actors who deserved more, and lots of respect for a director who knew when to walk away. Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World by is written by Deputy Arts Editor of The Globe and Mail Barry Hertz, and is a NOS fueled ride into the making of a billion dollar franchise, every bump the series hit, every curve it nearly lost it on, and every quarter mile it has gone, so far.
The story begins with a reporter doing a small article on New York immigrants who spent time, money and love on a fixing up import cars and racing them in small illegal events in the City. This article caught an agent's eye, a deal was made with a studio to develope a cheap movie to play during the summer. The movie drew the attention of Rob Cohen, a journeyman director with an eye for talent and soon a script was being written. And rewritten, and rewritten. Casting was done with two actors who Hollywood always talked big about, but never could find a project for, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. A quick title change, and a payoff to B-Movie King Roger Corman, and The Fast and Furious was born. And a hit was made. The sequel lacked first Vin Diesel, the third Paul Walker. However a director Justin Lin, brought not only energy but ideas to the project. With the fourth blowing up. Soon the diverse cast kept growing, the dead returned, wrestlers and action stars, and Hollywood grande dames were added. Along with cool cars, incredible stunts and more. Hertz looks at all this, from studio disinterest in the first movie, to a film series that has kept Universal afloat, with Covid, mergers, and audience disinterest in movie theaters. Hertz follows the controversies, the Twitter bursts, the Rock, and even the leaving of the most critical part of the film's success, the director Justin Lin.
A really well done book, one that got past all the roadblocks that Universal put in front of Hertz, not wanting to share a story, that might be part of litigation. For an unofficial look, Hertz has lots of interviews, lots of profiles, and of course lots of tales from behind the camera. Hertz does a really good jo setting the scene and keeping the narrative straight, discussing the problems with scripts, sometimes just a few words about a spectacular race, or big fight, the problems with studios interfering. And the egos of cast members slowing rising as if balloons being filled with NOS before exploding in embarrassing ways. Hertz is a really good writer, and looks at everything equally, stunts, computer special effects, even marketing, with access that is really surprising and illuminating. Even as a person unfamiliar with much about the movies, I could not stop reading, and was interested right up to the end.
A book for fans without a doubt, but also a book for people who love to read stories about movies being made, even if the movies are being made for them. There are heroes, villains, and blah corporate types, exciting stories of flipping buses, for being pulled on a door in Iceland. Best of all there is really good writing. I was happy to find a new interest in these movies, maybe i won't say no if it pops up on my que. I am more excited to find a writer who loves movies as much as I do, and can writer about them in such a fun, exciting and informative way. I can't wait to read what Barry Hertz has planned next.
True confession. I am not a fan of the The Fast and Furious franchise. I like cars, the original Gone in 60 Seconds is a comfort movie, Vanishing Point is beloved film, and I was a huge fan of the Dukes of Hazard, just like a stunt driver featured in this book. The movies never clicked with me. I saw the first in theaters, the second and third on video, the others on broadcast TV, and those just in snippets. I was aware of the storyline, it was hard being on-line and not knowing things, but they were not a film I paid attention to. However I am a big fan of books about Hollywood, which is why I thought I would read this. I am really glad I did, for this book offered me a different view of the movies, not a fan's look, but from the perspective of a person who loves movies, and really who can't love big stunts, and boffo action. And family. And the behind-the-scenes machinations that make big box office. Also I gained new respect for certain actors who deserved more, and lots of respect for a director who knew when to walk away. Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World by is written by Deputy Arts Editor of The Globe and Mail Barry Hertz, and is a NOS fueled ride into the making of a billion dollar franchise, every bump the series hit, every curve it nearly lost it on, and every quarter mile it has gone, so far.
The story begins with a reporter doing a small article on New York immigrants who spent time, money and love on a fixing up import cars and racing them in small illegal events in the City. This article caught an agent's eye, a deal was made with a studio to develope a cheap movie to play during the summer. The movie drew the attention of Rob Cohen, a journeyman director with an eye for talent and soon a script was being written. And rewritten, and rewritten. Casting was done with two actors who Hollywood always talked big about, but never could find a project for, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. A quick title change, and a payoff to B-Movie King Roger Corman, and The Fast and Furious was born. And a hit was made. The sequel lacked first Vin Diesel, the third Paul Walker. However a director Justin Lin, brought not only energy but ideas to the project. With the fourth blowing up. Soon the diverse cast kept growing, the dead returned, wrestlers and action stars, and Hollywood grande dames were added. Along with cool cars, incredible stunts and more. Hertz looks at all this, from studio disinterest in the first movie, to a film series that has kept Universal afloat, with Covid, mergers, and audience disinterest in movie theaters. Hertz follows the controversies, the Twitter bursts, the Rock, and even the leaving of the most critical part of the film's success, the director Justin Lin.
A really well done book, one that got past all the roadblocks that Universal put in front of Hertz, not wanting to share a story, that might be part of litigation. For an unofficial look, Hertz has lots of interviews, lots of profiles, and of course lots of tales from behind the camera. Hertz does a really good jo setting the scene and keeping the narrative straight, discussing the problems with scripts, sometimes just a few words about a spectacular race, or big fight, the problems with studios interfering. And the egos of cast members slowing rising as if balloons being filled with NOS before exploding in embarrassing ways. Hertz is a really good writer, and looks at everything equally, stunts, computer special effects, even marketing, with access that is really surprising and illuminating. Even as a person unfamiliar with much about the movies, I could not stop reading, and was interested right up to the end.
A book for fans without a doubt, but also a book for people who love to read stories about movies being made, even if the movies are being made for them. There are heroes, villains, and blah corporate types, exciting stories of flipping buses, for being pulled on a door in Iceland. Best of all there is really good writing. I was happy to find a new interest in these movies, maybe i won't say no if it pops up on my que. I am more excited to find a writer who loves movies as much as I do, and can writer about them in such a fun, exciting and informative way. I can't wait to read what Barry Hertz has planned next.
November 17, 2025
I saw The Fast and the Furious on DVD, although I didn’t boost the DVD from anyone and my car at the time was a 10-speed bike. But I liked it okay. It was fun enough and kind of slid off my brain in the “little car movie for spring break way” that the producers thought it would be. And then I didn’t check back in with the series until Fast Five. I missed Miami and Tokyo and the family reunion of the confusingly titled 4th film Fast & Furious. But then came Fast Five: Hobbs, Hernan Reyes, the vault. The vault! After that, I was hooked. I’ve seen every subsequent F+F movie in theaters, caught up on the ones I missed, I’ve even seen the Fast & Furious parody musical. I guess what I’m saying is, these characters aren’t just my friends…
Welcome to the Family is a close look at the story of Fast & Furious — not the plot of the movies, but the story of how the films got made. Globe and Mail film critic Barry Hertz seemingly talked to (or dug up quotes from) everyone even remotely associated with the franchise from stunt performers, junior production assistant level folks, producers, writers, all the way up to the actors and directors themselves. And the story is just as big and brash and confusing and, in the end, a bit disappointing, as the movies. I’ll say this: Justin Lin comes off as the hero of the story and my respect for him is significantly higher seeing what he went through to get these movies made.
But the other, often unsung, heroes are the stunt performers who Hertz lavishes attention on. What makes an F+F movie special is that it looks real and that’s because it often is (or was until recently CGI started infecting everything). When the cars are falling from the sky: they really did that. Or, at least, they shot reference shots for that. One of the most famous sequences of the series is in the first movie and it involves a car slotting in underneath a semi truck. They did that! And Hertz gives gloriously juicy details about all of the ups and downs of the production of each film.
Perhaps too juicy, at times. The Fast & Furious franchise is well known for its big personalities and big egos and all of them get addressed in this book. It comes off as gossipy and bitchy, but usually in a fun way. But if there’s a score to be settled, sometimes tried to in this book. Hertz attempts to weave it all into a cohesive narrative for each film, but sometimes we just get an aside about who was causing the production to go over budget (and it often is Vin Diesel).
Because of all the rich detail into film production and the long arc of the Fast & Furious franchise (2001-????), this book is also pretty interesting for film production geeks. Even if you’re not into the franchise, there’s some much to learn from this story (seeing the depths it took to resurrect Paul Walker for Furious 7, a process that added as much as **$60 MILLION** to the budget, is astonishing). Highly recommended for both Fast+Furiousphiles and film nerds.
Welcome to the Family is a close look at the story of Fast & Furious — not the plot of the movies, but the story of how the films got made. Globe and Mail film critic Barry Hertz seemingly talked to (or dug up quotes from) everyone even remotely associated with the franchise from stunt performers, junior production assistant level folks, producers, writers, all the way up to the actors and directors themselves. And the story is just as big and brash and confusing and, in the end, a bit disappointing, as the movies. I’ll say this: Justin Lin comes off as the hero of the story and my respect for him is significantly higher seeing what he went through to get these movies made.
But the other, often unsung, heroes are the stunt performers who Hertz lavishes attention on. What makes an F+F movie special is that it looks real and that’s because it often is (or was until recently CGI started infecting everything). When the cars are falling from the sky: they really did that. Or, at least, they shot reference shots for that. One of the most famous sequences of the series is in the first movie and it involves a car slotting in underneath a semi truck. They did that! And Hertz gives gloriously juicy details about all of the ups and downs of the production of each film.
Perhaps too juicy, at times. The Fast & Furious franchise is well known for its big personalities and big egos and all of them get addressed in this book. It comes off as gossipy and bitchy, but usually in a fun way. But if there’s a score to be settled, sometimes tried to in this book. Hertz attempts to weave it all into a cohesive narrative for each film, but sometimes we just get an aside about who was causing the production to go over budget (and it often is Vin Diesel).
Because of all the rich detail into film production and the long arc of the Fast & Furious franchise (2001-????), this book is also pretty interesting for film production geeks. Even if you’re not into the franchise, there’s some much to learn from this story (seeing the depths it took to resurrect Paul Walker for Furious 7, a process that added as much as **$60 MILLION** to the budget, is astonishing). Highly recommended for both Fast+Furiousphiles and film nerds.
February 23, 2026
One chapter per Fast & Furious movie, interspersed with "0.5" chapters which focus on specific elements of the latest installment or overall franchise.
F&F movies may not be great movies, but they are undeniably great entertainment.
The author vividly and effectively chronicles the rise of the F&F franchise, which truly might be one of the most unexpected and underappreciated in movie history.
This book does an excellent job of exploring the franchise's origins and evolution, and its cultural and global significance.
This book also illustrates the brilliant paradox of the F&F franchise: each movie reflects the singular personality and vision of its respective director, while also reflecting the resourcefulness and innovation of the team that stuck with him throughout the process.
In this way, this book is a welcome reminder that movies capture our imagination, our minds, and perhaps most importantly our hearts, because of the crew behind the camera as much as the cast in front of it.
Best to read this book in order to fully appreciate the people who brought each F&F movie to life, how they (mostly) worked together or (occasionally) didn't, how each new entry in the series went from a studio-imposed release deadline (usually based on nothing more than corporate greed) to a brainstorming session among creatives to a couple of guys playing with Hot Wheels cars to an ever-expanding team of practical geniuses to increasingly far-flung filming locations to bigger and bigger audiences in more and more theatres around the world.
Given the myriad challenges and obstacles, from myopic boardroom bean counters to on-set egos, perhaps it is a wonder that any movie - much less a F&F movie - ever gets made. This book is a history, but also an appreciation, surprisingly relatable and highly readable.
F&F movies may not be great movies, but they are undeniably great entertainment.
The author vividly and effectively chronicles the rise of the F&F franchise, which truly might be one of the most unexpected and underappreciated in movie history.
This book does an excellent job of exploring the franchise's origins and evolution, and its cultural and global significance.
This book also illustrates the brilliant paradox of the F&F franchise: each movie reflects the singular personality and vision of its respective director, while also reflecting the resourcefulness and innovation of the team that stuck with him throughout the process.
In this way, this book is a welcome reminder that movies capture our imagination, our minds, and perhaps most importantly our hearts, because of the crew behind the camera as much as the cast in front of it.
Best to read this book in order to fully appreciate the people who brought each F&F movie to life, how they (mostly) worked together or (occasionally) didn't, how each new entry in the series went from a studio-imposed release deadline (usually based on nothing more than corporate greed) to a brainstorming session among creatives to a couple of guys playing with Hot Wheels cars to an ever-expanding team of practical geniuses to increasingly far-flung filming locations to bigger and bigger audiences in more and more theatres around the world.
Given the myriad challenges and obstacles, from myopic boardroom bean counters to on-set egos, perhaps it is a wonder that any movie - much less a F&F movie - ever gets made. This book is a history, but also an appreciation, surprisingly relatable and highly readable.
May 25, 2026
Perfect for Fast & Furious fans, lots of great behind-the-scenes information written in a very humorous way. To highlight a couple of my favorite passages:
Amazing, iconic, and exactly how a book about this franchise should be written.
This book is also very effective at getting the reader to rewatch all the movies (including Los Bandoleros and the turbo-charged prelude to 2 Fast 2 Furious, iykyk). I am currently halfway through Furious 7 (RIP Paul Walker).
I appreciate that this book doesn't shy away from discussing the assault allegations against Vin Diesel and, even better, doesn't dismiss the woman's claims or accuse her of lying. We'll see what the courts have to say, but between that and Diesel's infamously creepy interview with a Brazilian reporter, it leaves a very sour taste in the mouth.
I think the only remotely negative thing I have to say about this book is that I'm not sure why it was written now, when there's still one ~final~ Fast film to made. And I mean, I'm sure more will be made, even if they're just spin-offs, but it seems like it would have been worth waiting until the main series was over...
What else is Fast & Furious, after all, than evidence of a deeply benevolent higher power, one who looks upon the twin demigods of American muscle—Diesel and Dodge—more favorably than He does His other sons?
...
And the Fast team accomplished it all by taking the showbiz rulebook, tossing it into the dumpster, setting the dumpster on fire, than hijacking a transport truck's worth of nitrous oxide to shoot that flaming dumpster into the face of the sun. At which point Diesel also tried to punch the sun.
Amazing, iconic, and exactly how a book about this franchise should be written.
This book is also very effective at getting the reader to rewatch all the movies (including Los Bandoleros and the turbo-charged prelude to 2 Fast 2 Furious, iykyk). I am currently halfway through Furious 7 (RIP Paul Walker).
I appreciate that this book doesn't shy away from discussing the assault allegations against Vin Diesel and, even better, doesn't dismiss the woman's claims or accuse her of lying. We'll see what the courts have to say, but between that and Diesel's infamously creepy interview with a Brazilian reporter, it leaves a very sour taste in the mouth.
I think the only remotely negative thing I have to say about this book is that I'm not sure why it was written now, when there's still one ~final~ Fast film to made. And I mean, I'm sure more will be made, even if they're just spin-offs, but it seems like it would have been worth waiting until the main series was over...
May 5, 2026
“After learning how difficult it was to obtain filming permits in Tokyo-especially for such a hectic area as Shibuya Crossing… Windon and Lin captured street footage on the sly, with Steadicams carried discreetly, guerrilla style, all over town. But just in case Tokyo police officers got wise to their plan, the film’s producers hired a local Japanese production company whose dutiful, well-paid staff would step in to pose as Lin, accepting any brief amount of jail time that might be doled out as punishment. “It’s technically illegal to film on the streets in Japan- it wasn’t a guarantee that someone would be arrested, but it did happen”.”
Re using archive footage and Weta animation to put Paul Walker in the film after his death: “Walker’s costars had especially good reason to be unnerved by it all. The second half of Furious 7 was about honoring Walker, certainly, but who was to say what might happen were any of them to encounter a similar fate down the line? What would become of their faces, their bodies, their digital autonomy? As Rodriguez, frequently the most candid member of the cast, said at the time, “You’re talking about a whole new conversation that needs to be had in Hollywood. A person’s brother, mother or sister is not going to have the same integrity or taste as you. There’s a serious conversation to be had with lawyers. Who is going to take your likeness when you’re gone?””
Re using archive footage and Weta animation to put Paul Walker in the film after his death: “Walker’s costars had especially good reason to be unnerved by it all. The second half of Furious 7 was about honoring Walker, certainly, but who was to say what might happen were any of them to encounter a similar fate down the line? What would become of their faces, their bodies, their digital autonomy? As Rodriguez, frequently the most candid member of the cast, said at the time, “You’re talking about a whole new conversation that needs to be had in Hollywood. A person’s brother, mother or sister is not going to have the same integrity or taste as you. There’s a serious conversation to be had with lawyers. Who is going to take your likeness when you’re gone?””
November 28, 2025
Like it or not, the Fast and Furious series of films have earned some analysis, based on history, longevity, and popularity. In that light, this is a worthy book, written with a regard for the films that you wouldn't see from a high-falutin' critic. At the same time, the author is far too forgiving of the increasingly absurd turns the films have taken since Fast Five, which is easily the best of the bunch. The overreliance on "family" to explain away twists that make no sense, and the overuse of CGI in action sequences are plainly obvious, and both need more criticism than can be found here. Also, the author is REALLY devoted to director Justin Lin, who comes across as a genius of Spielberg and Nolan proportions. This is an entertaining read, but you might not swallow all the bull being slung.
February 15, 2026
A fun read, well researched and well paced which is tough to do when you’re covering 25 years of history. There’s a real thesis here that the Fast franchise is unique and a trendsetter in Hollywood, I wouldn’t describe these as character driven movies necessarily but when you break things down and compare it to other franchises that can be rebooted at will, the Toretto family is different. There’s real engagement with the ethics of the Furious 7 Paul Walker stuff, which was pretty universally accepted at the time and probably does deserve more scrutiny now in the age of AI deepfake actors and Vin threatening to bring him back.
The author is pretty clearly biased towards a Justin Lin can do no wrong line of thinking to be fully objective about it, which is the main thing knocking a star off.
The author is pretty clearly biased towards a Justin Lin can do no wrong line of thinking to be fully objective about it, which is the main thing knocking a star off.
May 26, 2026
Did I really read a 400 page book about the Fast & Furious film franchise? Yes I did, and I enjoyed it very much. I could even had used a longer book, crazy as that sounds. But yes, if you're a fan of the series as I am, it's a very enjoyable read, a lot of interesting behind the scenes info. It's a little too heavy on Justin Lin hagiography - I think he's great but the book makes him out to be a genius, the main reason the series was successful, when in fact I think his record is mixed. Also dunks hard from beginning to end on Vin Diesel, who comes across terribly, starting with entitlement and a primadonna attitude and ending with sexual assault charges.
June 1, 2026
Definitely worth the read for fans of the Fast series, or those like me who enjoy these histories that focus more on the ins and out of how the movies got made and context they may have missed when just watching the films. It was also the perfect time to read it. As of now I know the next movie is on the schedule, but because of the timing the book covers every movie that has actually been released and then some.
I listened to this on audible and have to say that the narrator was particularly good for this book. did a good job at conveying interest in the material without venturing into over the top territory.
I listened to this on audible and have to say that the narrator was particularly good for this book. did a good job at conveying interest in the material without venturing into over the top territory.
December 29, 2025
So I am not a fan of the FF movies, but I nonetheless loved this book. I read Hertz regularly in the Globe and Mail; he has a good understanding of the history of film and reviews with both arty and pop sensibilities. He's also a really good writer.
With almost 180 interviews of people involved who worked on the films, he really brings the sausage making of movies to life and provides some fascinating insights on how/why the films were made and their cultural impact. This one will be on my top ten list of reads for 2025.
With almost 180 interviews of people involved who worked on the films, he really brings the sausage making of movies to life and provides some fascinating insights on how/why the films were made and their cultural impact. This one will be on my top ten list of reads for 2025.
January 28, 2026
Very entertaining read about showbiz and how movies are made. Amazing how Hertz has compiled tons of memorable anecdotes and comments about the production of the Fast Films. Amazing historical chronology. Highlights how much a role chance plays in Hollywood productions. Also highlights the challenges Hollywood celebrities like Diesel, Johnson, and Gibson create when acting like divas during production. I barely remember the plots of the Fast films and the detail surrounding specific plot elements of specific films were lost on me. Still I learned a lot and enjoyed this book a lot.
February 20, 2026
If you’re a fan of the Fast movies and/or the wild machinations that happen to make big Hollywood movies come together, you’ve got to read this. Expanding the entire 25+ year saga of the movies, it goes into amazing amounts of detail about the highest, the lows, the drama and the ins and outs of how the movies came together, especially the insane storylines. You’ll most certainly end the book with a lower opinion of Vin Diesel but the entire saga with him is interesting to.
Highly recommend, a fun read!
Highly recommend, a fun read!
December 20, 2025
Very exhaustive... and exhausting, unless you're a superfan of a certain kind. I'm not that big of a fan, it turns out.
But definitely props to the author for giving a lot of respect to the people behind the scenes, doing the grunt work, like the stunt people and so on. Obviously at least partly because that's the people he was able to get access to, but hey.
But definitely props to the author for giving a lot of respect to the people behind the scenes, doing the grunt work, like the stunt people and so on. Obviously at least partly because that's the people he was able to get access to, but hey.
January 13, 2026
Some good dishing on one of my favorite franchises, but not a whole lot that was new if you ever watched the bts content of the movies on bluray. The big missed opportunity was not really talking about all the work that goes into the unique cars they've gotten in every movie. Near zero car geeking out, which is half of the reason we watch these movies.
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