in brief: a photo-journalist documents the rise of a Chicago-based motorcycle club, through the eyes of Cathy (Jodie Comer), the wife of loyal lieutenant, Benny (Austin Butler).
for me: Jeff Nichols can officially do anything, with the exception of making bad films. The Bikeriders feels as far from Loving – his previous period film – as that felt from Midnight Special, which in turn was a departure from Take Shelter, and so on. the connective tissue of his filmography (other than Michael Shannon!) is exceptional film-making and deeply felt humanity, and both are more than represented in what is not only my favourite of his films, but might be my favourite film of the year so far. like Origin earlier in the year it depicts the creation of the book it’s based on, with Mike Faist playing Danny Lyon, a photography student who spent time with the gang in the mid-sixties, and who published his pictures and interviews in 1967. despite the coffee table origins, this is much more than a snapshot of a culture. Nichols’ script delves deeply into the familial nature of The Vandals, making it easy to understand how these individuals – even the ones more lightly sketched – came to find a home and a community with one another, and how that sense of belonging could see the group grow beyond its initial aims to become something bigger and more powerful than any of the founders intended. the shooting, editing, soundtrack, and performances feel like Scorsese at his best, with the important exception that Marty’s mum isn’t the only good female character! by foregrounding Cathy we not only get another flawless performance from Comer, but a compelling view of the inside of this masculine world, but delivered by an outsider. defiant from the start, Cathy is no gangster’s moll or crime widow, as we so often see in these stories, but a smart and committed person in her own right, who takes charge of her own life, even if that means sacrificing what she loves. Benny may not quite be the ‘strong and silent’ type, but he burns up the screen with charisma despite – or perhaps because – he lets his eyes and his co-stars do the talking. he’s integral to the story, but there’s a scene late in the film where i realised how little he had spoken before, and it was stunningly effective. the heart of the film, though, is Tom Hardy as Johnny, the family man living out his dream of life as a rebel. he is paternal and protective, and loves his chosen family as intensely as any man could, but knows his own limitations within that world. it’s an extraordinarily layered performance, and perhaps his best since Locke.
mvp: Nichols definitely deserves praise, as well as awards consideration, but The Bikeriders would be so much less without the incredible cast assembled by the legendary Francine Maisler. the script called for performances that went far beyond archetypes, and she delivered, not only with the three leads, but the supporting cast as well. if you can drop Shea Whigham into your movie for a scene and a punchline, and not derail the whole thing, then you are playing with a severely stacked deck.
verdict: cool as hell and sexy as all get out, The Bikeriders isn’t some romantic fantasy of crime and grime, but a stunning insight into masculinity and family. the film ‘must see’ was coined for.
director Jeff Nichols // writer Jeff Nichols // released 21/06/24
onedottoomany 