Hell or High Water

In a summer (or should that be year or decade) of vapid sequels, remakes, and overblown superhero catastrophes, who would have expected an entertaining, intelligent, well-crafted, suspenseful, character- driven, modern-day western with a brain. Riding on Taylor Sheridan's razor-sharp script and David Mackenzie's nuanced direction, Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, and (especially) Ben Foster (along with everyone else who appears on the screen) inhabit this film as wryly humorous, heartfelt, vicious, painfully tragic, and realistic members of a society reaping the fruits it has tragically sown. Best film so far this year.

Hell or High Water (2016)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Toby Howard (Chris Pine) and his ex-con brother Tanner (Ben Foster) rob three banks in one day with plans on hitting more the following day. Pretty soon Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) and his partner are on their trail.

Director David Mackenzie's HELL OR HIGH WATER is a throwback to a previous era's Western where you've got good guys, bad guys and guys that are somewhere in between. A lot of praise was aimed at the film and it's easy to understand why because it's a very laid back picture that takes its time getting to why the brothers are doing the crime and it also takes its time in explaining why the Ranger is so interested in it.

What impressed me most about the film was the fact that it was so laid back. The quiet nature of the Texas small towns are certainly on display and I liked the fact that the director didn't mind keeping things at a slow burn leading up to the climax. I'm certainly not going to spoil the ending but it perfectly sums up everything that we had seen leading up to it. I can see how some might be disappointed that this film wasn't louder and feature stronger stuff but the atmosphere and setting were perfectly handled.

Another major plus are obviously the performances but would you expect anything less from the three leads? Pine is certainly coming into his own and delivering one fine performance after another. His character is the one that is most haunted by his actions and I really liked the depth that Pine brought to the role. Bridges, who picked up an Oscar-nomination, is also quite good playing the Ranger who (no shock) is about to retire. For my money it was Foster who stole the film playing the more psychotic brother. I really thought the actor did a fantastic job at playing this crazy person who also had a great love for his younger brother.

The cinematography, the editing and all the other technical aspects are excellent. I did have a few problems with the picture including some of the scenes that had songs playing over them. The country music selections were fine songs but at times I thought they weren't needed in a few of the scenes. Still, HELL OR HIGH WATER is a current day Western and a darn good one at that.

This is definitely the type of simple film that many might dismiss when first hearing about it or seeing the promotional footage of it. What's really surprising about it is the amount of emotional and dramatic weight that it carries. It's not primarily interested in gun fights or car chases. Instead, it's interested in exploring the dynamics of race and culture, and in depicting everyone as flawed individuals who you still feel empathy for. It gives you a portrayal of what poverty and the economy can do, even when never attempting to justify the horrible behavior on display or trying to make excuses for its characters. It's filled with wonderful, thoughtful dialogue while also playing out like a realistic morality tale. The three leads are also fantastic, especially Ben Foster, who deserves to get more roles as the talented character-actor he is. This is highly recommended.

Look at Chris Pine trying to prove he's not just a pretty face doing these small films that show his range, and show how he can do accents, but seriously, Pine was totally in his element here.

Jeff bridges gave a great performance that matches his cowboy ethics in True Grit, playing a very old school Texas Ranger hunting down Pine and Ben Foster who play brothers robbing banks. A little in the Archie Bunker Territory when dealing with his Mexican, Native American partner, but all the way likable.

Ben Foster was fantastic as well,as the bad apple big brother looking for redemption. Very dynamic acting, by all three main actors.

The music really adds to the cool western feel, putting me in the cowboy mode. I thought it was interesting that they had one scene in the movie in which real life cowboys herding cattle appear, in a movie about the movie style cowboys, and it's some real cowboy stuff going on here.

It's very macho without turning off the indi crowd that would love this film. There's a scene in the movie when Jeff Daniels Character confronts one of the bank robbers and it was like Eastwood and Wayne back in the day, man. It just wraps up the whole vibe of the movie in one swoop. I feel like it's the type of movie everyone in Texas should love.

And it's very Texas (or rather what I expect from Texas): every dinner only sells streak, It's hard to be a armed bank robber because at least two people in the bank carry a gun. The film does use Texas as a perfect pocket for all American life with the bank robbers having a bigger agenda to save the land they own and secure a future for their family, screwing over the bank that's screwing them.

It has the same appeal of the Timber when it comes to today's Westerns, but it's setting in contemporary times but with that old fashion tone gives it an edge.

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With Taylor Sheridan as the writer and David MacKenzie at the helm, I had high hopes for this movie. Both of their last respective projects (Sheridan - Sicario, MacKenzie - Starred Up) were gritty, violent, and engaging. All of those hold true for Hell or High Water.

The main characters, Chris Pine and Ben Foster turn in great performances. Ben Foster plays the ex-con brother. And as usual, he turns in what I think was the best performance of the movie. He has a knack for playing a top notch supporting role, and often times gets overlooked. Chris Pine also nails it as the more straight laced brother. For a pretty boy of Hollywood, his portrayal is authentic. Jeff Bridges also compliments these two well as the older, sort of jaded officer. Both him and Foster even provide a good amount of laughs, but neither overdo it.

The setting of the movie really sets it above others in the genre. I would say this movie is more crime/drama or heist film than Western, but it definitely has a Western vibe due to its northwest Texas setting. The area has been hit hard by the recession, a failing farm industry, and big oil. It all makes the recklessness and danger Foster and Pine engage in that much more enjoyable, and even sort of relatable. The audience can at least sympathize with them as they do what they think is right.

Overall, this film is well worth a watch. It can be put in a league with more recent films like The Town, Drive, and The Place Beyond the Pines.