This is the first review of a film that takes place in Texas! And Hell or High Water captures the blistering sun, dirt-washed buildings, and shiny pickup trucks that define the Texas midlands. I have seen this film once before and did not fully appreciate the subtleties involved in the progressing story upon my first viewing. I'm excited to share it with you all and hope you will give it a try!
The Gist
Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) are brothers bent on robbing a series of banks in order to pull themselves out of their desperate situation. They are pursued by Texas Rangers Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and Alberto (Gil Birmingham), whose own partnership will soon be severed by Marcus's reluctant retirement.
Here is the trailer if you want another sneak peek:
MPAA Rating: R
The Take
You can tell a lot about a person by how they rob a bank. At least, that's what I assume based on all of the bank robbery scenes I've seen in film and television. The dynamic between brothers Toby and Tanner during the bank scenes shows a lot about their relationship, as well as their demeanor and motivations during this story. Toby has anxious concern for Tanner's excitable energy during the robberies, and himself shows a reluctance to commit the crimes. The classic dynamic of the trigger-happy partner and the level-headed do-gooder is on full display here, and the real brilliance of the story is the way these tropes are subtly twisted and subverted as the film moves forward.
The relationship between the brothers and its parallel to Marcus and Alberto's partnership is brilliant; I am a sucker for parallels in a story. Marcus and Tanner are the louder, more abrasive and secretly haunted counterparts, while Toby and Alberto are more reserved and hesitant to make a hasty move. Both pairs continually show a level of care and camaraderie for one another in their own ways, and blessedly never waste time having a falling out - this is not the type of sprawling, laborious plot that telegraphs everyone's inner thoughts through exposition and generates excessive drama. The two duos' similarities also helps complicate the viewer's allegiances, as the lawmen and outlaws end up looking all too similar for someone to make an easy judgment call.
While Hell or High Water is a brilliant contemporary take on the classic Western narrative, this movie is also so Texan in the best way. The continuous name drops of small towns in central Texas were recognizable to me, as was the landscape - the oilfield-laden region where my husband still works looks just as barren and sun-bleached as this film's setting. Even the motivations of the brothers (don't mess with a cowpoke's Mama) and sense of community among strangers felt Texas-bred. Many times throughout my viewing, I mentally proclaimed "Texas!" in William Shatner's excited tone, a la Miss Congeniality:
The diners coming together to protect the outlaws' identities, the caravan of pickup trucks barreling down the highway for some cowboy justice, even the quick-witted and insightful Rangers displayed the unique Texas sensibility. But the greedy bankers who prey on poor citizens in order to claim their oil-rich land is also very Texas. No one in this film is having a good time or feeling grateful for their circumstance, but it is an accurate portrayal of the central Texas experience.
There is an undercurrent of tension throughout the movie as you wait for the brothers to either achieve their goal or find themselves falling victim to other circumstances. The first casino scene was filled with subtle threats from the other patrons; it was the first moment of triumph of their plan, but so precarious that a mal-intended woman or offended man could be a catalyst for them to lose it all. That subtlety is a common thread throughout the film and part of what makes it a great watch. I benefited from the second viewing to catch the intricacies I missed upon first watching. The one moment where these threats feel overt happens at a gas station of all places, where an aggressor learns the hard way not to mess with the quiet rage of a desperate man - or mess with his family.
There are numerous moments between Marcus and Alberto where Marcus makes comments about and mocks Alberto's race, which made him a less likeable character. While it isn't inaccurate for an old white Texan to be spewing racist commentary, it was the main drawback in my viewing experience. Marcus is portrayed as brusque and generally unhappy, but he is also meant to be an arbiter of justice alongside Alberto. The complexities of picking a side to root for - Ranger or robber - are made needlessly simple by his bigoted characterization.
Hell or High Water is a great portrayal of the Texas experience for better or worse. It is economical in its doling out of character nuances and breadth of plot, leaving a lean and compelling Western to be enjoyed by audiences. I recommend everyone don your closest cowboy hat and settle in for a brilliant film.
Rating: 9/10
Memorable Moments
"Tweakers don't sleep, they just...tweak" - Is this our new motivational message?
The "What don't you want?" waitress (Margaret Bowman) is a cantankerous gem.
Also shout out to Jenny Ann (Katy Mixon), the waitress who gave Marcus a truckload of sass and venom.
Try It If...
You want to see a modern take on the classic Western story.
You are a Jeff Bridges and/or Chris Pine fan.
Stories about brotherly bonds interest you.
Avoid It If...
You do not like gore related to gun violence.
You want a story that passes the Bechdel test.
Westerns do not interest you.
Hell or High Water is available to stream on Tubi.