CBS Films
It’s no secret I loved Sicario. A movie that was beautifully shot, wonderfully acted, and with a vital theme about the death spiral of the drug war. Meaning that a “message” movie can be entertaining and even great. But that’s often a rarity. Smaller movies aim often for such things, but they usually end up sacrificing clarity and character for melodrama and manufactured poignancy and anger. Or sometimes the movie’s a bit too weak to handle everything thrown at it.
Hell or High Water comes from director David Mackenzie and is penned by Taylor Sheridan of Sicario. That movie was great, but now I think the script was the weakest part of that movie. Here we similarly look at a social issue couched in action and drama, that being poverty in small towns affected by tricky housing practices by banks. Unlike something like The Big Short, this movie doesn’t really get into how the banks screwed anyone in a meaningful way, just assumptions. Which is fair by this point, but it’s a weak theme here.
The movie stars Ben Foster as ex-con Tanner Howard who’s on a mission with his troubled but ethical brother Toby (Chris Pine). Toby is trying to support his kids and ex-wife, but they also are worried about losing their ranch. So the brothers go off robbing small banks in small Texas towns, hoping to make back the money on time. But things are not going to go that smoothly.
Hot on their tail are Texas Rangers Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) and his partner Gil Birmingham (Alberto Parker). Marcus is a crusty old cuss a few short weeks away from retirement and constantly throws barbs at his Mexican/Native American partner. It’s meant to be mildly charming, and it sometimes works. The interplay between the two is interesting, and it’s always enjoyable to see competent people in a movie.
There’s a lot of dialogue in this movie, a lot of philosophical discussions about purpose and poverty. There’s a theme of wanting things improved for others and sacrificing for family. It’s an interesting angle, and it helps bolster the “screw banks” theme that’s far weaker. The film has a great look, showcasing that Texas wasteland of life, dotted with people and guns. There is mild humor here too, which works best when it’s on character and less when it’s about clichés and insults.
Chris Pine does a nice, subtle acting job here, a nice contrast with his confident Kirk character in Star Trek. He was a person who wasn’t a caricature, which is unfortunately not so true about his brother. Ben Foster mugs and chews scenery, and although it sometimes works (like the key action pieces), it also often doesn’t. All that aside, Jeff Bridges is a solid presence and he elevates even the weaker lines he gets.
When the movie goes into action or slows into silence, that’s when it works the best. The dialog is a mixed bag. The theme of evil banks I can take or leave, it’s just sort of a mild background note to me. I think this works as a forgettable crime drama that won’t last long in anyone’s memory, but it’s an entertaining movie. The acting from Jeff Bridges and Chris Pine is good, and the parallel crime versus law action storylines work well. And although it’s over an hour and half long, it’s paced well.
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