Over the course of a decade, a Midwestern motorcycle club evolves from a gathering place for local outsiders to a sinister gang, threatening the original group's way of life. Ever since I saw some promotional images for this movie on social media, I was almost immediately intrigued. Granted, I know next to nothing about motorcycle culture, biker gangs or the book this film is based on so I’m pleased to report that The Bikeriders is one of my favorite movies of 2024 thus far. It’s inspired by real people but is not based on a true story, so that is important to keep in mind. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, the film mainly centers around Benny played by Austin Butler, a new member of the “Vandals” motorcycle club led by the enigmatic Johnny played by Tom Hardy. First off, both Tom Hardy and Austin Butler are absolutely terrific here, with each of them giving subtle yet earnest performances. Hardy almost nails what is described as an old-school Chicagoan accent if Marlon Brando binge watched Sons of Anarchy and Butler also pulls it off pretty nicely, albeit a little smoother than Hardy. Nonetheless, both are great and I really felt their bond and friendship with one another. Unfortunately, it’s never all that easy when love is thrown into the mix. Jodie Comer is utterly brilliant as Benny’s girlfriend Kathy and it’s truly her character and narration she gives that acts as the audience’s point of view into the lives of these guys who ride around on Harley Davidsons all day, drink beer, smoke pot, chain smoke cigarettes and sometimes even get into fights with one another. At its core, the film is about loyalty, love, and the daunting burden of leadership. When I say love, it’s more about the love triangle of Benny’s friendship with Johnny and his relationship with Kathy and who is more important to him as the years go by. With time passing by, the Vandals club continues to grow and attract younger more violent members, leading to certain incidents that make Kathy want Benny to quit the club. Benny, being so committed to that lifestyle, is reluctant to leave even though Johnny wants him to assume a more prominent role. It’s this complexity and multifaceted dynamic that truly makes this film so compelling and instantly relatable to me.
Cinematography, sound design, sets, classic rock soundtrack and costumes all superbly bring the mid 60’s to early 70’s to vivid life, although I personally think it was a missed opportunity not shooting on film. Notable supporting actors include Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, and a funky looking Norman Reedus who all add some extra flavor to the Vandals club. The one supporting actor who really stood out to me on top of everyone else was Toby Wallace as The Kid. His character tries to impress Johnny and the Vandals on a few occasions to be a part of the club, and without getting into spoiler territory, I’ll just say he shakes things up in some very unexpected ways. The movie is not flawless and the biggest thing that confused me is how it deals with the passage of time. Taking place over the course of a decade, it was hard to tell what year it was during certain moments involving Kathy being interviewed by a photojournalist. Since not too many years go by, it was difficult to tell what time period they were in, especially since the photojournalist character is prevalent with the Vandals club during the period of 1964-1973. I also would like to specify that I have not seen Sons of Anarchy and would like to warn those expecting a hardcore action movie out of the Bikeriders to temper those expectations. This is a drama through and through that authentically depicts a motorcycle club in its heyday, how that club interacted with other motorcycle clubs, and ultimately Benny’s dual loyalty to Johnny and Kathy. Credit to writer/director Jeff Nichols who does such a good job at bringing the audience (whether well versed in motorcycle culture or not) into this rough and rugged motorcycle club and showing how they operate and interact with one another and with other, more violent motorcycle gangs. Overall, powered by earnest performances from Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy, Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders is a thoroughly engaging and poignant drama that offers a unique look into a bygone era of motorcycle culture, depicting the loyalty, leadership, and violence that comes along with it.
Comentários