Hell or High Water: Review

Director: David Mackenzie
Cast: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham

Hell or High Water is an exemplary model of arresting cinematography working concurrently with expert story-telling and character development. Also enlivened by charismatic performances and pithy dialogue, it is a unique and chucklesome heist-cum-western-movie that provides a hog-killin’ time from start to finish.

Toby (Pine) and Tanner (Foster) Howard are two disparate brothers whose mother has recently died. Atwixt them, they execute a series of bank robberies – masterminded by Toby - in order to pay off the debt on their mother’s ranch to prevent foreclosure.  Meanwhile, Marcus Hamilton (Bridges) is the Texas Ranger a hair’s breadth away from retirement, but opts to carry out the ‘one last job’; investigating these thefts (but, have no fear, this does not play out formulaically as one can easily imagine). With trusty partner Alberto Parker (Birmingham), he sets out on a cat and mouse chase from bank to bank to bank.    

This reviewer is doomed to become obsequious, listing off how each element of the movie does its bit to contribute to a masterstroke of filmmaking, but the brown-nosing would be much deserved. What makes Hell or High Water so impressive is how each component is equally top-notch. It can be regarded as a ‘character study’, as there is much focus on the people as opposed to mindless action. Toby is the more reserved and circumspect brother, divorced with two children. His motivation for the crimes is charged by the sons he wishes to support. Tanner is capricious with insatiable greed. At one point he performs a solo impromptu bank robbery, much to Toby’s dismay. We are made aware that before the events in the film, Tanner did time in the big house for the murder of their abusive father, while Toby cared for their dying mother. The brotherhood is charming despite their differences, and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan does intricate work at painting a picture of what the boys’ relationships with their parents were like. The partnership of Hamilton and Parker is delightful too, based on amiable banter regarding their age and Indian roots, respectively. This playfulness and genuine affection is what makes events later on even more crushing.

The sweeping of the camera across desolate landscapes dwarfs the characters and gives the film an adventurous tint as we joyride through Texas. The music is sombre and yearning, supplementing the barren land. The whole final product just has this sophisticated look, like a ribbon around an otherwise first-rate present.

David Mackenzie puts together a pristine story, peppered with moments of splendid wit. One particular scene sees a hardened yet droll waitress deliver a spiel about how the two rangers should order their food. It generated laughs and gave a breather from the fervent narrative, and resonated well with the curt attitude of the film. Another tremendous moment comes when the brothers attempt to rob an extra bank unplanned, and due to the unexpected bustle of customers it takes all involved an awkward duration to realise that a robbery is actually taking place. The rest of this sequence is compelling as we experience Toby’s anxiety and witness the botched events of the unforeseen heist.

Hell or High Water is one of the highest quality films 2016 has produced yet, with memorable performances all round- Jeff Bridges especially. It is refreshing to see such a well-conceived film flourish with such a simple story line.  

MS