Hell or High Water (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
If you ever wanted to see what dilapidated, sun-roasted, financial crisis-riddled Western Texas looks like, take a stab at 'Hell or High Water', a gritty crime drama directed by David Mackenzie & written by Taylor Sheridan (of Sicario). This brilliant little indie focuses on Toby & Tanner Howard, two brothers who concoct a bank heist plan to exact revenge on the greedy bank that swindled their now-deceased mother out of her land. Divorced, quiet-but-strong type Toby (Chris Pine) is determined that his 2 estranged teen sons inherit the oil-rich family acreage which is under threat of foreclosure. So he turns to his unhinged, ex-con brother Tanner (Ben Foster) for help. The plan that Toby devises: to rob several small-town branches of Texas Midlands Bank {never aiming to kill anyone}.
From there, they'll then launder the $$ through a casino over the border in Oklahoma. With untraceable casino checks made out to Texas Midlands Bank, they can then settle their debts. These heists draw the attention of sardonic, nearly-retired Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) who craftily surmises that since these men only take small denomination bills from the drawers, they're not your typical robbers (druggies, psychos). "I may have one hunt left in me," Hamilton grumbles to his earnest Comanche partner, Alberto Parker (a stellar Gil Birmingham). With that, they head-out to deceptively sleepy West Texas to track the brothers down. Everything culminates in a last-ditch showdown ... where the fates of each man are on the line.
It took 'til late August, but I'm ecstatic that the 1st really good drama has finally arrived this year. Evocative & brimming with life, this modern Western/film noir not only entertains on a mainstream level, but thematically, it captures a patch of America devastated by the failing economy; where everyone is armed with their guns & the level of disdain for bankers is potent. Australian director David Mackenzie (along with cinematographer Giles Nuttgens) brings a hard-edged, barren beauty to this film; the Texas terrain is a forceful character itself. Sure, there are robberies, car chases, & shoot-outs ... but it's about more than these thrills. Writer Taylor Sheridan provides flavorful dialogue and a slow burn pace of plot incident; allowing time to wonder about what the characters think & how they feel. The somber proceedings are punctuated by gallows humor. And levity is brought about by an old cantankerous T-Bone steak waitress, superbly played by Margaret Bowman.
Jeff Bridges is fantastic as the sarcastic, insult-doling Hamilton; a seemingly lackadaisical man who actually makes for a great Columbo/Sherlock Holmes. Sure, we've seen Bridges do this kind of grizzled role before. But there's no denying the power of his face & voice - two physical traits that can convey more emotional changes in one shot than most other actors can achieve in many. I enjoyed Gil Birmingham's Alberto, a proud, stoic ranger who humorously feeds off his partner's racist teasing. Ben Foster is his usual loose cannon self, presenting a strong antagonist {yes, he does bad things}. But he's so intense, so watchable, and not without his own shadings of humanity ... that you can't fully fault him for his flaws. And Chris Pine is most impressive, probably because he holds his own with the vet Bridges & volatile Foster. A wellspring of turbulent emotions lies beneath his pretty boy facade, so the 'quiet' in his performance stands out.
Deeply observed relationships, astute filmmaking, & melancholy soundtrack aside, I take away some potent themes from this film. Yes, moments in the film are dryly humorous, poetic, even thrilling. But what I really admire here is the tale of brotherhood & justice. The Howards have a lot of baggage. They do wrong. But watching their bond & seeing how far they'll go to try to achieve something for their family is pretty powerful. In the bleak West Texas landscape - and no thanks to crooked banks - it's easy to see how poverty can be handed down from generation to generation like a disease and ... I found myself rooting for each & every character in their individual pursuits. With the line btwn. criminals & heroes being a hazy gray, the myth of the American outlaw is alive & well in 'Hell or High Water'.
From there, they'll then launder the $$ through a casino over the border in Oklahoma. With untraceable casino checks made out to Texas Midlands Bank, they can then settle their debts. These heists draw the attention of sardonic, nearly-retired Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) who craftily surmises that since these men only take small denomination bills from the drawers, they're not your typical robbers (druggies, psychos). "I may have one hunt left in me," Hamilton grumbles to his earnest Comanche partner, Alberto Parker (a stellar Gil Birmingham). With that, they head-out to deceptively sleepy West Texas to track the brothers down. Everything culminates in a last-ditch showdown ... where the fates of each man are on the line.
It took 'til late August, but I'm ecstatic that the 1st really good drama has finally arrived this year. Evocative & brimming with life, this modern Western/film noir not only entertains on a mainstream level, but thematically, it captures a patch of America devastated by the failing economy; where everyone is armed with their guns & the level of disdain for bankers is potent. Australian director David Mackenzie (along with cinematographer Giles Nuttgens) brings a hard-edged, barren beauty to this film; the Texas terrain is a forceful character itself. Sure, there are robberies, car chases, & shoot-outs ... but it's about more than these thrills. Writer Taylor Sheridan provides flavorful dialogue and a slow burn pace of plot incident; allowing time to wonder about what the characters think & how they feel. The somber proceedings are punctuated by gallows humor. And levity is brought about by an old cantankerous T-Bone steak waitress, superbly played by Margaret Bowman.
Jeff Bridges is fantastic as the sarcastic, insult-doling Hamilton; a seemingly lackadaisical man who actually makes for a great Columbo/Sherlock Holmes. Sure, we've seen Bridges do this kind of grizzled role before. But there's no denying the power of his face & voice - two physical traits that can convey more emotional changes in one shot than most other actors can achieve in many. I enjoyed Gil Birmingham's Alberto, a proud, stoic ranger who humorously feeds off his partner's racist teasing. Ben Foster is his usual loose cannon self, presenting a strong antagonist {yes, he does bad things}. But he's so intense, so watchable, and not without his own shadings of humanity ... that you can't fully fault him for his flaws. And Chris Pine is most impressive, probably because he holds his own with the vet Bridges & volatile Foster. A wellspring of turbulent emotions lies beneath his pretty boy facade, so the 'quiet' in his performance stands out.
Deeply observed relationships, astute filmmaking, & melancholy soundtrack aside, I take away some potent themes from this film. Yes, moments in the film are dryly humorous, poetic, even thrilling. But what I really admire here is the tale of brotherhood & justice. The Howards have a lot of baggage. They do wrong. But watching their bond & seeing how far they'll go to try to achieve something for their family is pretty powerful. In the bleak West Texas landscape - and no thanks to crooked banks - it's easy to see how poverty can be handed down from generation to generation like a disease and ... I found myself rooting for each & every character in their individual pursuits. With the line btwn. criminals & heroes being a hazy gray, the myth of the American outlaw is alive & well in 'Hell or High Water'.