Review by John Delia
One of the better dramas this year, Hell or High Water comes from an indie filmmaker and could possibly enter the race for an Oscar, it’s that good. Working on a premise that may be a little over the top makes it a bit dubious however, but most people did like the tempestuous Bonnie and Clyde. Whether you cheer for the two characters in this wild and offbeat film or not, the acting’s so good I’m going back for another look.
The bank’s about to foreclose on the house that brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster) have lived in most of their lives. Returning after a stint in a state prison, Tanner’s learned that he’s not afraid of getting vengeance. He’s upset for all the years his mom’s been paying interest on their small farm from unreachable bank loans and cannot come to terms with it. Concocting a scheme to pay off the loan by robbing banks may sound outrageously ridiculous for Toby, but for Tanner, it’s do or die.
Delivering a rip-snorting film in the vein of 2 Guns, Director David Mackenzie (Young Adam) turns a script by Taylor Sheridan (who wrote last year’s intense Sicario) into a winner. Setting up his characters early on to give the audience reasons to side with their fight against greed, Sheridan makes the two brothers likable, even in a frightening sense. The two are representative of the down and out who claw their land to make a living while prices rise and banks thrive. This is not “Little House on the Prairie†by no means, it’s raw and reckless and emits a sense of accepted reprisal.
With a nice surprise performance, Jeff Bridges plays Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton who has the challenge of running down the thieves who are robbing statewide banks. He’s an old-fashioned cop who’s likable by most all the town’s people in his area. But he’s not a pushover, being methodical in his tactics when tracking down criminals in his jurisdiction. What makes Bridges a stand out is the transformation of his character from easy going cop to serious tracker when dealing with an impulsive robbery that gets terrifying.
Most all know Chris Pine for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in Star Trek, but here his role gets earthy and gritty as the son who’s challenged with keeping the farm after the death of his mother. Toby may be the younger brother, the one that still has a sense of right and wrong, but looking up to his older sibling clouds his mind on doing the right thing. He wants to fight for the land and when Tanner convinces him to put his righteousness aside, he’s never really convinced.
Giving the best performance in the movie however, Ben Foster is best known for several films including soldier Matt Axelson in Lone Survivor and Richard Livesey in the gut wrenching film The Finest Hours. Here he’s the older brother who upon returning from prison wants something more far reaching than revenge and retribution. Tanner’s a wild freewheeling vengeance filled man who wants to strike back at society and Foster captivates you with his every move in this hard hitting drama. You may not love what his character stands for, but how Forster handles it should get him recognition for his work in Hell or High Water.
Hell or High Water has been rated R by the MPAA for some strong violence, language throughout and brief sexuality. The violence gets brutal and very disturbing so be cautious when deciding to bring immature teens to see the film.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A contender for performance honors. (B)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Gil Birmingham, Katy Mixon and Margaret Bowman
Directed by: David Mackenzie
Written by: Taylor Sheridan
Genre: Crime, Drama
MPAA Rating: R for some strong violence, language throughout and brief sexuality
Running Time: 1hr. 42 min.
Release Date: 8-19-16
Distributed by: CBS Films