Written by: Kevin Berge
I cannot quite tell if this movie is pro or anti-second amendment propaganda. (Image Courtesy of: youtube.com)
Quick Take: Hell or High Water is about as perfect as films get with fantastic acting, a simple but well paced plot, a script that always says just enough, and enough action and drama to make the story worth investing in from beginning to end.
***The following is a review for a recently released movie in 2016. Thus there will be no spoilers beyond the basic plot synopsis and allusions to the stories development.***
Man is but the lot of his life, and, in Hell or High Water, there is no one that amounts to much. All these men know that they are at the end of their rope, trying to make one last definitive impact upon their own legacies and the lives of those that will follow them.
Focusing on two brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) pulling a string of small-time robberies of Texas Midland Banks. Toby's planning is perfect, but Tanner's wild nature continues to get them in trouble until two Texas Rangers, a nearly retired Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and his partner Alberto (Gil Birmingham), are on the two's tail.
This is a tightly constructed crime drama that often feels like it's nostalgic for the western, giving hints and callbacks to that time. That nostalgia is also felt in the characters who all seem to be wholly uninvested in their current time, wanting to live in any other era than this.
This could have been dreary tale, but it is entirely enthralling with consistent action, tightly constructed dialogue that is just a delight to listen, and a host of performances that are among the best of the year.
Front and center are Chris Pine (Star Trek) with a career-best performance as a damaged father with only one focus and Ben Foster (Lone Survivor) who is the star of the show in the best performance I've even seen this year so far with a vicious and crazed personality with a kindly edge focused on his family.
Man is but the lot of his life, and, in Hell or High Water, there is no one that amounts to much. All these men know that they are at the end of their rope, trying to make one last definitive impact upon their own legacies and the lives of those that will follow them.
Focusing on two brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) pulling a string of small-time robberies of Texas Midland Banks. Toby's planning is perfect, but Tanner's wild nature continues to get them in trouble until two Texas Rangers, a nearly retired Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and his partner Alberto (Gil Birmingham), are on the two's tail.
This is a tightly constructed crime drama that often feels like it's nostalgic for the western, giving hints and callbacks to that time. That nostalgia is also felt in the characters who all seem to be wholly uninvested in their current time, wanting to live in any other era than this.
This could have been dreary tale, but it is entirely enthralling with consistent action, tightly constructed dialogue that is just a delight to listen, and a host of performances that are among the best of the year.
Front and center are Chris Pine (Star Trek) with a career-best performance as a damaged father with only one focus and Ben Foster (Lone Survivor) who is the star of the show in the best performance I've even seen this year so far with a vicious and crazed personality with a kindly edge focused on his family.
Be ready to grow bored with racist jokes... after five minutes. (Image Courtesy of: themovieblog.com)
Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski) is also great as he truly comes off as the intelligent old man clearly on his last leg with perfect chemistry with Gil Birmingham (Rango) which makes their partner relationship one of the most fun aspects of the film.
David Mackenzie (Starred Up) has come into his own as a director as of late, and this is easily his best movie to date. He brings out top performances from his actors and keeps the pacing neat and tense. The way he portrays the action is often shocking and affecting.
The writing though is the true standout. Taylor Sheridan (Sicario) has a knack for dialogue that is simple but memorable, giving layers to the characters without ever relying on exposition. Everything about these characters is defined by their words with others.
It is extremely difficult to find faults in this film. In fact, it is one of the few movies made this year that may just not have a way to be improved. It is not too long or too slow, and it certainly keeps the focus on its characters.
Hell or High Water is the exploration of what one man will do to change his fortunes in a world where so many are only focused on doing the same thing they have always done. It leaves nothing solved and never simply defines the good or the bad.
Four men here are at odds, and the result ultimately does not matter. This is about watching them get to the end and seeing how their own personalities and views ultimately define their paths. It is about as simple yet philosophical as a crime drama gets.
David Mackenzie (Starred Up) has come into his own as a director as of late, and this is easily his best movie to date. He brings out top performances from his actors and keeps the pacing neat and tense. The way he portrays the action is often shocking and affecting.
The writing though is the true standout. Taylor Sheridan (Sicario) has a knack for dialogue that is simple but memorable, giving layers to the characters without ever relying on exposition. Everything about these characters is defined by their words with others.
It is extremely difficult to find faults in this film. In fact, it is one of the few movies made this year that may just not have a way to be improved. It is not too long or too slow, and it certainly keeps the focus on its characters.
Hell or High Water is the exploration of what one man will do to change his fortunes in a world where so many are only focused on doing the same thing they have always done. It leaves nothing solved and never simply defines the good or the bad.
Four men here are at odds, and the result ultimately does not matter. This is about watching them get to the end and seeing how their own personalities and views ultimately define their paths. It is about as simple yet philosophical as a crime drama gets.