Hell or High Water
Chris Pine (Star Trek), Ben Foster (The Program) and Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges lead this contemporary Texan bank-robbing thriller. From the director of Starred Up and the writer of Sicario.
A story about the collision of the Old and New West, two brothers — Toby (Pine), a straight-living, divorced father trying to make a better life for his son; and Tanner (Foster), a short-tempered ex-con with a loose trigger finger — come together to rob branch after branch of the bank that is foreclosing on their family land. The hold-ups are part of a last-ditch scheme to take back a future that powerful forces beyond their control have stolen from under their feet.
Vengeance seems to be theirs until they find themselves in the crosshairs of a relentless Texas Ranger (Bridges) looking for one last triumph on the eve of his retirement. A showdown looms at the crossroads where the last honest law man and a pair of brothers with nothing to live for, except family, collide.
- Director:
- David Mackenzie ('Starred Up', 'Perfect Sense', 'Hallam Foe', 'Young Adam')
- Writer:
- Taylor Sheridan
- Cast:
- Jeff BridgesChris PineBen FosterDale DickeyGil BirminghamKaty MixonKevin Rankin
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Aaron Yap
flicksComing off like a Southern-fried Coen Brothers noir minus the suffocating nihilism, David Mackenzie’s ninth feature functions impressively on multiple levels. It’s a rustic, poignant tale of brotherhood, sacrifice and redemption. It’s a sobering elegy for the economically dispossessed - think 99 Homes in boot spurs and a cowboy hat. It’s also the sort of tight, terse, old-school crime drama one can imagine Don Siegel cranking out in the '70s. Whichever way you slice it, it’s a darn good flick.
A visually engaging and thematically rich modern western with an enigmatic ending
Don’t be fooled by the cowboy hats as Hell or High Water (2016) is much more than just another western bank-robber adventure. It belongs with films like Money Monster (2016) and 99 Homes (2015) that are loaded with post-GFC themes, all scorching the underbelly of American capitalism. As a hybrid genre, it cuts across several cinematic boundaries to produce...
Yes. West Texas is really like this.
Having lived over there in the Lone Star State I can tell you this is no fantasy. It really is the wild west, and this is what makes this film so great. The characters, right down to the diner waitress, are spot on. So the locations and characters really are the stars of this show and the little story about a man righting a wrong just moves everything along...
Variety
pressA thrillingly good movie - a crackerjack drama of crime, fear, and brotherly love set in a sun-roasted, deceptively sleepy West Texas.
The Telegraph
pressIt has a straight-down-the-highway momentum, interesting stakes, and more textured character work than you can shake a stick at.
The Guardian
pressIt's an action-thriller with punch; Bridges gives the characterisation ballast and heft and Pine and Foster bring a new, grizzled maturity to their performances.
Stuff
pressA heady cross-between No Country for Old Men, Seven Psychopaths and 99 Homes...
New Zealand Herald
pressManages to be guns-ablaze exciting, a tenterhooks thriller, a fine judge of character, and a commentary on the economic times.
Newshub
pressThis is a modern-day Western, a heist story of filial love, but unexpectedly pulsing with a deep social conscience. How brilliant.
Hollywood Reporter
pressAs much as all four men are familiar types, the director, writer and actors imbue them with humanity, steering their arcs through tense action.
Empire Magazine
pressTaut, tense and burnished by Jeff Bridges at his best. This is a deceptively simple tale of Texan cops and robbers that drags the Old West into the modern age.
Flicks, Aaron Yap
flicksComing off like a Southern-fried Coen Brothers noir minus the suffocating nihilism, David Mackenzie’s ninth feature functions impressively on multiple levels. It’s a rustic, poignant tale of brotherhood, sacrifice and redemption. It’s a sobering elegy for the economically dispossessed - think 99 Homes in boot spurs and a cowboy hat. It’s also the sort of tight, terse, old-school crime drama one can imagine Don Siegel cranking out in the '70s. Whichever way you slice it, it’s a darn good flick.
Variety
pressA thrillingly good movie - a crackerjack drama of crime, fear, and brotherly love set in a sun-roasted, deceptively sleepy West Texas.
The Telegraph
pressIt has a straight-down-the-highway momentum, interesting stakes, and more textured character work than you can shake a stick at.
The Guardian
pressIt's an action-thriller with punch; Bridges gives the characterisation ballast and heft and Pine and Foster bring a new, grizzled maturity to their performances.
Stuff
pressA heady cross-between No Country for Old Men, Seven Psychopaths and 99 Homes...
New Zealand Herald
pressManages to be guns-ablaze exciting, a tenterhooks thriller, a fine judge of character, and a commentary on the economic times.
Newshub
pressThis is a modern-day Western, a heist story of filial love, but unexpectedly pulsing with a deep social conscience. How brilliant.
Hollywood Reporter
pressAs much as all four men are familiar types, the director, writer and actors imbue them with humanity, steering their arcs through tense action.
Empire Magazine
pressTaut, tense and burnished by Jeff Bridges at his best. This is a deceptively simple tale of Texan cops and robbers that drags the Old West into the modern age.
A visually engaging and thematically rich modern western with an enigmatic ending
Don’t be fooled by the cowboy hats as Hell or High Water (2016) is much more than just another western bank-robber adventure. It belongs with films like Money Monster (2016) and 99 Homes (2015) that are loaded with post-GFC themes, all scorching the underbelly of American capitalism. As a hybrid genre, it cuts across several cinematic boundaries to...
Yes. West Texas is really like this.
Having lived over there in the Lone Star State I can tell you this is no fantasy. It really is the wild west, and this is what makes this film so great. The characters, right down to the diner waitress, are spot on. So the locations and characters really are the stars of this show and the little story about a man righting a wrong just moves everything...
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