Starring: Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Gil Birmingham, Katy Mixon
OUR RATING: ★★★★☆
Story: Heist crime drama directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan. The story follows two brothers, Toby (Chris Pine), a straight-living, divorced father trying to make a better life for his son; and Tanner (Ben Foster), a short-tempered ex-con with a loose trigger finger, who resort to a desperate scheme to rob a bank after a branch of the bank has decided to foreclose on their family land.
Vengeance seems to be theirs until they find themselves in the crosshairs of a relentless, foul-mouthed Texas Ranger, Marcus (Jeff Bridges), looking for one last triumph on the eve of his retirement. As the brothers plot a final bank heist to complete their plan, a showdown looms at the crossroads where the last honest law man and a pair of brothers with nothing to live for except family.
Verdict: This was one of those films that really pleasantly surprised me, I wasn’t really expecting much from this contemporary western, but the straightforward story telling and the characters really made it work for me. This is a rich character study where not only do you get down to earth seriousness but some refreshing humor as well. Chris Pine and Ben Foster are so good, the chemistry between then is magnetic, and you get Jeff Bridges as a bonus giving another great performance. Director, David Mackenzie, gives us a well crafted story that never goes overboard. Overall, this is a clever and witty heist-thriller that won’t disappoint.
Best Quotes (Total Quotes: 29)
Toby Howard: I’ve been poor my whole life, like a disease passing from generation to generation. But not my boys, not anymore.
[to Toby and Tanner]
Billy Rayburn: You have the bank loan just enough to keep your mama poor, but they could swipe her land.
[to Toby and Tanner]
Billy Rayburn: Those banks loaned the least they could so they could swipe your mama’s land.
[to Toby and Tanner]
Billy Rayburn: They took everything from your family, this is your chance to take it back. Paying them back with their own money, well if that ain’t Texan I don’t know what is.
Tanner Howard: This is Mr. Pibb. I asked for a Dr. Pepper.
Toby Howard: So?
Tanner Howard: Only assholes drink Mr. Pibb.
Tanner Howard: It’s a big bank.
Toby Howard: It’s too big.
Tanner Howard: That’s what she said.
[to Toby and Tanner]
Billy Rayburn: You know they can foreclose on Friday, so come hell or high water, get the money to the bank on Thursday and then you are free and clear.
[as they are about to rob a bank]
Tanner Howard: Little brother, let’s go get that money.
Tanner Howard: Good morning, folks! Open the doors!
[turning to one of the bank patrons]
Tanner Howard: You got a gun on you, old man?
Old Man: You’re damn right I got a gun on me. Y’all gonna steal my gun too?
Toby Howard: We’re gonna steal from you or steal from the bank.
Alberto Parker: [to Marcus] Did you hear about these bank robbers?
Alberto Parker: You may get to have some fun before they send you off to the rocking chair yet.
Marcus Hamilton: I may have one hunt left in me.
Tanner Howard: Has mama been in that bed a while?
Toby Howard: Three months. Bank breathing down her neck.
Marcus Hamilton: You all been here for a while?
Diner Patron: Long enough to watch a bank get robbed who’s been robbing me for thirty years.
Toby Howard: How did you manage to stay out of prison for a year?
Tanner Howard: It’s been difficult.
Alberto Parker: All this way my ancestors land, the lease folks took it, and it’s been taken from them. Except it ain’t no army doing it, it’s those sons of bitches right there.
[he points to the bank across the street]
Marcus Hamilton: These boys know exactly what they’re doing, they’re trying to raise a certain amount that’s my guess.
Tanner Howard: Toby, this is a good thing.
Toby Howard: We’re doing it.
Tanner Howard: Every step of the way.
Tanner Howard: Do want a little advice, go save your boys and ma.
Toby Howard: You know if you talk like me you ain’t going to get away with this.
Tanner Howard: I never meant nobody get away with anything, ever.
Toby Howard: Then why in the hell did you agree to do it?
Tanner Howard: Because you asked, little brother.
Marcus Hamilton: All right, I think I got these boys figured.
Elsie: He’s got no record, he’s never been arrested, he don’t fit the bill, Marcus.
Toby Howard: You may be hearing a lot of things about me and your uncle.
Justin: Whatever I hear I won’t believe.
Toby Howard: No, you believe it, I did all of it.
Tanner Howard: I love you, Toby. I mean it.
Toby Howard: I love you too.
Toby Howard: [to Tanner] You want to get us killed! Huh! That isn’t part of the plan!
Marcus Hamilton: These boys, they aren’t done yet.
Marcus Hamilton: Did they take cash
Jenny Ann: Two hundred dollars.
Marcus Hamilton: Them bills is evidence.
Jenny Ann: It’s evidence if they’re the bank robbers. So you go out there and you get a warrant and you come after the money that I will be using to put a roof over my daughter’s head.
T-Bone Waitress: I’ve been working here for forty-four years. Ain’t nobody ever ordered nothing but a T-Bone steak and baked potato. Except one time, this asshole from New York ordered a trout, back in 1987. We ain’t got no goddamned trout.
Bear: I am a Comanche. Do you know what it means? It means “Enemy to everyone”.
Tanner Howard: Do you know what that makes me? A Comanche.
[teferring to a TV evangelist]
Marcus Hamilton: He wouldn’t know God if he crawled up his pant leg and bit him on the pecker.
Total Quotes: 29
Trailers:
Clips:
The offbeat glamour of the movie Hell or High Water only brings to light the exceptional elixir of acting skills of Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges and Ben Foster. The film gets a special handling by the not only handsome but also amazingly talented Chris Pine (Oscar worthy) and Oscar level acting contribution by Jeff Bridges. Chris Pine has very well portrayed the offbeat dad character, who cares for his family. It’s the ruggedness of the character that brings out the best in Chris and how the subtly dark nature of the story only becomes one with the acting facets of the actor. He has been working in various roles and different styles of stories, which make him capable of handling a role like Toby. The edgy character brings is the one thing that he needed to overshadow the shadow that his looks cast on his acting abilities.
After Hell or High Water, it’s now possible to look at Chris Pine as an actor beyond just handsome looks. Toby’s role has taken him very much away from the role of Capt. Kirk, which would, if not for Hell or High Water, typecast him in super hero kind of a role. Now, Chris Pine can be related to characters with varied flavors. We could possibly see him in different variety of roles henceforth and looked upon as an actor who does justice to all kind of roles. It has been witnessed in the previous films of his, that he is capable of exemplary acting talent and has also done so by enacting Toby in Hell or High Water. He has always been our favorite, Capt. Kirk of Star Trek, the train navigator to Denzel Washington (Unstoppable), the brother to Elizabeth Banks (People Like Us) or punk dirty Darwin Tremor of Smoking Aces. We for sure loved him as a prince in Princess Diaries, charming his way to our hearts.
Darwin Tremor was the most unlikable character played by him, though unlikable Chris is admired to have played this role with ease and the adaptability towards what it takes to play such a role. How can one forget Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, only to know Chris can fill the James Bond shoes if needed. As a matter of fact, Chris can perfectly pull through James Bond. Chris Pine blessed with looks, acting skills and a subtle softness to his personality can give James Bond a little variety. The softer side of his personality is justified by his emotions at the Oscars 2015. Not only does his sobbing express his softness, but his personality has a different awe.
There are so many roles that he can be considered to play. I am sure after Hell and High Water, many producers and directors would want to cast him in their future movies. It can be technically proved from the way Chris Pine has been spading in more and more based on the performance based pay for his films like Star Trek. He is a talent to be exploited and made money from. He has a personality, which compliments rather than supplement.
Not going off the track from advocating for Chris Pine for his supporting role Oscar awards, I, whole and solely recommend him for Oscars. He for sure is the promising star of today and the future to come. Hoping to see him earn an Oscar in supporting character for Hell and High Water, he can be wished with loads of wishes.
Rating: 5/5
Come “Hell or High Water” is about two brothers who scheme to save the family homestead. It works. One brother dies and the other is waiting for a showdown.
Buy some treats at the concession stand.
As far as modern westerns go, this movie is a godsend. The plot is generic, and has been done before, but the way David Mackenzie structured it so it flows between the two groups as they seemingly get closer and closer to one another is subtly suspenseful. This was one of those movies that, once you’re about halfway, seems totally predictable. As the story progressed, I found myself anticipating what was going to happen next, but each time I made a prediction, something would jerk the plot in a totally different direction. Needless to say, I loved this. It kept it fresh through every scene, and it made it easy to become totally engrossed in the characters and each of their back-stories.
Speaking of the characters, my goodness were they amazing. There was an incredible balance of personalities that ranged all across the spectrum. From Ranger Hamilton’s almost lazy, nonchalant, analytical demeanor, to Tanner Howard’s impulsive, psychotic, inscrutable behavior. The way Ben Foster portrayed Tanner Howard was brilliant. At times, he’d make you think he was going to snap and kill everyone in the room, but at other times he’d be so heartfelt and sincere that you wish he would give up crime and lead a full, honest life like he deserves.
The action was intense, and left nothing to be desired. It was believable in a well thought out way, as there were definitely moments where other directors (cough, Michael Bay, cough) might’ve blown the entire set up, Hollywood style. However, Mackenzie didn’t blow anything out of perspective, which made the twists even more heart wrenching.
Final word: If you appreciate fine film making at all, go see this movie. It’s as close to a perfect western as one could possibly get. The dialogue is smart and funny, the acting was quite possibly Oscar worthy (Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges), and the action was worthy of the R rating. And yes, people died.
Rating: 9.7/10
Times seen: 1