Chris Pine and Ben Foster play two brothers named Toby and Tanner Howard – one a divorced father of two who's behind on his child support payments, the other a mentally unhinged former convict – who've elected to rob a string of banks around Texas; going about in the early hours of the day when there's smaller risk and only taking unpacked bills during their ventures. The reason? To pay off the reverse mortgages on the old family ranch and selling the land's oil rights to pay for Toby's sons' well-being. Being a particularly interesting crime wave due to their different nature and unhelpful townsfolk, the near-retirement Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton (Bridges) and his successor Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham) - whom Hamilton constantly jokes with over his native American/Mexican heritage – must figure out what the robber's plan is and where they intend on hitting next in a game of cat and mouse. With both sides having fine reasonings for succeeding in their plans, the question is whether the crooks will beat the cops, or if justice will be served.
Hell or High Water is essentially a modern day equivalent of a classic Western movie, with many a character sporting a stetson and flannel shirt whilst the sight of herding cows can be seen. But it's also within its basic premise – place events back by a century or so and make a few timely changes and you've practically got a classic cowboy tale on your hands. And with the whole thing already feeling like a classy 70s effort, complete with unresolved story aspects, it's no wonder that everyone has become so enamoured by it. Despite on the outset looking like it has a very simple and generic story to it, this instead comes across as a refreshing creation that plays with both classic and modern elements of filmmaking; amongst the robberies and investigating is plenty of good well-intended laughs alongside some heartfelt and touching moments of humanity. Whenever the film deviates towards a side-lined element such as Toby seeing his estranged family or the two rangers attending a restaurant together, it brings the human touch that so few of these heist films have, and by the time the film rolls to an unresolved close you feel satisfied.
Despite what the film's marketing campaign insists is the case, Bridges is not the lead character – this instead is bestowed upon Chris Pine, who shows that he can push himself in strong roles. His multi-layered character withholds the most humanity and is given the most to truly shine at, with his reluctance to truly partake in the crimes he commits and his strong heart towards those who actually give him a moment to talk and let some of the pressure out before his aggressive brother gets in the way. He works rally well with brother Ben Foster, who's more hands-on approach to things makes him interesting to watch. What with his distant relationship to his late mother and hypocritical nature when it comes to certain things, the fact that he's still overly protective and loving towards his brother despite his hatred towards others brings about a true feeling of familiarity. Jeff Bridges brings arguably one of his best performances in recent years, with his approach to everything making him difficult to draw yourself away from – there's even talk of potential Oscar glory for him, and it's hard to deny him that right for this role. His sidekick Gil Birmingham brings about more laughs than anything because of his excellent rapport with Bridges, but you still feel for him and take into account the more sombre moments he's in. Other side characters, which range from Katy Mixon's diner waitress to Kevin Rankin's accountant ally, all also give out good performances but are all hindered by the power of the core four individuals.
With David MacKenzie at the helm of the camera, one should from now on expect great things from what he's attached to direct, for he brings about great and sweeping images of the deserted landscapes alongside the close-handed nature of shoot-outs, casinos and robberies. The camerawork – a combination of his direction and Giles Nuttgens's cinematography – is something of sheer beauty, and when paired together with the musical score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis creates some stunning filmmaking. For future reference, perhaps keep an eye out for MacKenzie's future endeavours.
Hell or High Water is a film that has been touted for Oscar-level glory ever since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, and whilst the jury's still out there, there's still plenty to truly adore about this film. From the overly human and surprisingly witty screenplay by Taylor Sheridan to the strong performances, such as that by the beloved Bridges, this small-time effort makes for a truly engaging and enjoyable motion picture that, come February, may turn out to be a big man at the ceremonies. 9/10.
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