Hell or High Water is not the best motion picture of the year. There is nothing groundbreaking, or majorly original in this film. Yet, there is not much to complain about. The screenplay is not the freshest thing in modern cinema, but the cast is spectacular and they grace the screen with their presence. The other day I watched The Hollywood Reporter's actor roundtable, which included Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, True Grit, Iron Man, TRON: Legacy). If I had not watched the roundtable, I might not have been as invested in this film. If you have any doubts about watching the film, check out the roundtable so that you can connect with Bridges a bit more. Bridges is as genuinely interesting guy with a lot of experience in acting.
The rest of the cast also makes the film an exciting watch. Chris Pine (Star Trek), Ben Foster (Lone Survivor), and Gil Birmingham (Rango) act as familiar faces for their roles. While the screenplay may seem reminiscent of other films in the genre, the acting is excellent and fresh. Imagine a double-date with Chris Pine and Ben Foster meeting up with Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham. Well it's more of a duel, but there is certain bromance between the two groups of actors.
Rather than focusing on the storyline, Taylor Sheridan (Sicario) writes deep characters. With a premise of bank robbers, it is hard to create an original film. Rather, the setting and the character relationships are the focal point of David Mackenzie's (Starred Up) newest film. Sheridan's writing is subtly rich and engaging, similarly to his previous work on Sicario. Look out for more of Sheridan's films in the near future since he appears to have struck gold with this genre. While Mackenzie's direction is a bit unique, there are some odd moments throughout the film where non-diegetic music starts to play. I am not sure if I liked the moments where the music kicked in, but it is an interesting way to place more music in film!
The Bottom Line: Hell or High Water shines bright with its spectacularly written characters, even if it is not the best film of the year!
Score: 9.5/10
The rest of the cast also makes the film an exciting watch. Chris Pine (Star Trek), Ben Foster (Lone Survivor), and Gil Birmingham (Rango) act as familiar faces for their roles. While the screenplay may seem reminiscent of other films in the genre, the acting is excellent and fresh. Imagine a double-date with Chris Pine and Ben Foster meeting up with Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham. Well it's more of a duel, but there is certain bromance between the two groups of actors.
Rather than focusing on the storyline, Taylor Sheridan (Sicario) writes deep characters. With a premise of bank robbers, it is hard to create an original film. Rather, the setting and the character relationships are the focal point of David Mackenzie's (Starred Up) newest film. Sheridan's writing is subtly rich and engaging, similarly to his previous work on Sicario. Look out for more of Sheridan's films in the near future since he appears to have struck gold with this genre. While Mackenzie's direction is a bit unique, there are some odd moments throughout the film where non-diegetic music starts to play. I am not sure if I liked the moments where the music kicked in, but it is an interesting way to place more music in film!
The Bottom Line: Hell or High Water shines bright with its spectacularly written characters, even if it is not the best film of the year!
Score: 9.5/10
