Chris Pine and Ben Foster star as two brothers who go around
West Texas robbing banks. Enter Texas
Ranger Jeff Bridges, who is just a few days shy of retirement. He pursues them at his own pace, hanging out
in places they’ve been, and trying to get inside their head.
The thing is, the duo is more than just bank robbers. They have a reason why they’re doing what
they’re doing. I’m not saying it’s
right, but to someone is their situation, it seems like their only option. The way writer Tayler Sheridan and director
David Mackenzie slowly lay all their cards on the table is one of the joys of
the movie.
It’s also wickedly funny too. Some of the banter between Bridges and his
half-Indian/half-Mexican partner Gil Birmingham is hilarious. Foster’s hotshot character also gets a lot of
laughs, even when he’s serious as a heart attack and twice as mean.
Hell or High Water has a ‘70s type of flavor. It unfolds at its own pace and some of the
best scenes happen in long takes that don’t draw attention to themselves. The cinematography is excellent and the
desolate landscapes and rundown small towns are filmed with lots of character.
The narrative is a bit smallish and overly familiar, but the
performances are great all around. Jeff
Bridges can do this kind of ornery sheriff role in his sleep by now, so be glad
he still has one eye on the wheel. While
he may seem like he’s slipping into Rooster Cogburn mode occasionally, he still
finds ways to keep his crochety character feel fresh. His final scene with Pine is mesmerizing. Pine, who is a bit overlooked when it comes
to his acting chops, is Bridges’ match in every way and holds his own
throughout the intense finale.
Like Bridges, Foster has played similar variations on his
character before. However, he finds a
few new notes to emphasize here and the result is a psycho that has a tinge of
sympathy to him. Foster also gets the
best line of the movie when he says: “Only
assholes drink Mr. Pibb!”
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