Hell or High Water (2016)

Review

102min

Genre:       Crime, Drama

Director:    David Mackenzie

Cast:         Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges…and more

Writer:      Taylor Sheridan

-Synopsis-

In an effort to save their family home and protect their loved ones; two small-town Texas brothers take revenge on the ruthless banks that wronged them by executing a series of dangerous heists, but their plans meet a dose of reality when they’re challenged by a dogged old Texas Ranger in this crime drama from the writer of ‘Sicario’.

Chris Pine and Ben Foster star as two very different West Texas cowpoke brothers; the former a younger and steady but determined 30-something family man with something to lose, the latter an older, wild and unpredictable but loyal convicted criminal, both on a mission with no going back, come “hell or high water”.

They’re pursued by  two very different Texas rangers; Gil Birmingham as the stoic half Native-American half Mexican cop who endures the annoying but good-natured ethnic quips of his elder partner, expertly played by Jeff Bridges, who re-works his “Rooster Cogburn” into a tough old modern day law-dog, almost ready to be put out to pasture but still packing a bite.

Considering the themes, settings and style, ‘Hell or High Water’ could almost be considered a Western, if it didn’t fail to qualify by about 100 years, storywise. But also because at heart it’s a gritty contemporary character drama, about the little guy escaping from under the thumb of a ubiquitous giant, by any means necessary.

Like ‘No Country for Old Men’ did in 2007, which this film was clearly heavily inspired by, along with a whole host of classic westerns; ‘Hell or High Water’ blends familiar archetypes with a very modern story, in the context of a changing world and a new America clashing with the old.

But it also manages to combine a gripping and gritty family drama with a bigger overall picture of a superpower in social decline, as it falls deeper into the pockets of bankers and corporations. Epitomised by towns and cities in terminal decline, from small Texas podunks to the once mighty Detroit, fading into shadows of their former selves as they fold under the weight of capitalism and globalisation.

So essentially we’re talking about a contemporary twist on the classic “cops & robbers” story, drawn through the historical filter of everything from Frank & Jesse James, to Dillinger and Bonnie & Clyde, mixed with a gripping family drama that’s tempered with a heavy dose of Western spice and the “American Dream” gone wrong.

The film is beautifully shot by cinematographer Giles Nuttgens, using New Mexico vistas to substitute for the dusty majesty of West Texan towns and plains. All of which combine well with a soundtrack of country & western from the likes of Waylon Jennings and original music from Nick Cave & Warren Ellis.

However the story and characters are the true stars of the film, thanks to a perfectly balanced script from actor-turned-screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, who combines a considered social and family narrative featuring well fleshed-out characters, with a taught dramatic tension and plenty of lighter moments too. And trust a British director, in the form of David Mackenzie, to put all the elements together and deliver a gripping little piece of classic Americana.

The entire cast, from leads to minor parts, are pitch-perfect in their performances with the two opposing principal pairs carrying the film admirably. Chris Pine goes a long way towards shedding his pretty-boy leading man image with a nuanced performance while Ben Foster delivers another intense but roguishly charming turn. Meanwhile Gil Birmingham solidly portrays the Texas ranger who puts up with Jeff Bridges in his masterful performance as the wily old lead ranger.

While ‘Hell or High Water’ doesn’t revolutionise a sub-genre and walks a well-trodden path; the expertly crafted narrative and perfectly balanced execution shows how you can make a captivating film with familiar archetypes and themes without being completely derivative, whilst adding a little something new and delivering easily one of the best films of the summer.

The Bottom Line…

While the story may be simple and the characters familiar; ‘Hell or High Water’ boasts a compact and expertly written script with captivating characters and relatable themes, this modest little drama is one of the very best films of the summer which will thrill when necessary, amuse regularly and entertain throughout.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Multiple Oscar-winning “Coen Brothers” nihilistic thriller/drama following the plight of a stoic and resourceful Texas man, as he is hunted by a seemingly unstoppable figure after taking a suitcase full of money from the gruesome scene of a botched drug-deal.

Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen and starring Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones among others.

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