The Bikeriders Review: I Love This Throwback Crime Drama For A Few Glorious Minutes
I enjoy The Bikeriders. I'm not sure how clear that will be at the end of it, hence I feel driven to start this review with that comment. When it comes to good movies that feel like they maxed out on their potential, I usually treat them more leniently than those that could have been, or maybe in moments were. The former present what they offer and are what they are. The later are so entwined in their potential that the act of separating them could mirror the five stages of grieving. Out of fairness, then, I'm beginning with acceptance.
But slowly, story starts to weigh everything. The triangle of Kathy, Benny, and Johnny loses appeal the more it is performed for drama. It creates an interesting conundrum in the strategy for adaptation. A photobook is maybe not the most natural material for a feature film, and Nichols obviously tried to start something more movie-esque from there. But I paid closest attention when The Bikeriders welcomed the uncomfortable fit. Not from a need to know what happened to them next, but from a want to know these individuals, was my investment. Goodfellas was floated as an obvious reference following the Telluride last year premiere of this film, and my experience bears validity to that. Considering the illegal activity involved, maybe that vision makes sense. Still, many of the times that fit best seem more in line with Dazed and Confused. Whereas in the latter the characters and their lives are caught as if they already exist, in the former everything is inflated to the level of the capital-C Cinematic (with the narrating protagonist perhaps performing the inflating).
The Bikeriders Learn Austin Butler Is The Real Deal
Writer-director Jeff Nichols adapted The Bikeriders from Danny Lyon's book of photography under the same name, a fact that results in both numerous merits and shortcomings. Though some of the movie's characters are real, motivated by the book's featured interviews, its plot is fictional. Lyon himself is a character ( Mike Faist), showing up all over to compile information on this 1960s Chicago biker subculture.
But the story's focus is essentially divided among three additional members of The Bikeriders. When Kathy (Jodie Comer) falls hard for Benny (Austin Butler), one of the Vandals Motorcycle Club members, she becomes practically our narrator. It's clear from her account as well as from Comer and Butler's performance as she remembers why. Almost everyone else in the Vandals' pub that evening turned Kathy away, but she knew right once Benny was the real deal. One mischievous smile during Lyon's interview helps us to really know her. Drawn to Benny for the same reason is Johnny (Tom Hardy), Vandal founder and leader. After witnessing Marlon Brando in The Wild One, Johnny—a family man with a steady job—ended up founding the biker club. Though he is the one everyone else turns to for direction, he is never really happy in that capacity. Hardy presents him with a certain degree of impostor syndrome—not false, but always anxious he would look such. This is rather true of practically all the original motorcyclists. Each of them is having fun chasing an aspirational image. Benny, though, is that person they hope to be. Living for the freedom of riding on an open roadway, he chooses violence over shame without second thought. While still seeming to be able to pick up and leave the moment he feels too tied down, he is as fiercely loyal as someone can be. Nichols makes him the dramatic lynchpin as the movie moves forward, Kathy and Johnny striving to influence him at opposite ends. This seemed to me to be a miscalculation.
The Bikeriders Cannot Maintain The Enchantment Of Its Early Scenes
Everything seems in step with him for a time. Like Lyon did, Nichols captures this period and location and way of life, guiding us into this world as sort of spectator. Often set in photographic tableaux utilizing Adam Stone's exquisite cinematography, the motorcyclists are arranged The sensory experience of their way of life—both diegetically through Lyon's interviews and in the way elements like sound design are used—is underlined. Supporting actors pop often, Michael Shannon and Norman Reedus particularly.
In The Bikeriders, these two urges fight each other consistently. Instead of striving to make large things feel tiny, I wish it had dedicated to making the little things significant. For something that, at one point felt like I was seeing one of my favorite movies of the year so far, it is too harsh a comment. Reviewing something I enjoy is difficult; but, I am frustratingly unable to love.
A 1960s Chicago Crime Drama: The Bikeriders
The Vandals, a 1960s Midwestern motorbike club, is the subject of The Bikeriders. Viewed through Kathy's eyes—that of Jodie Comer—the movie shows the club's transformation from a group of local outsiders to a violent gang. With its close-knit biker subculture and mounting conflict between the Vandals and other gangs, the film evokes the brutal realism of Chicago in the 1960s. The Bikeriders explores the nuance of brotherhood, devotion, and the enticing appeal of a life on the brink.
Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy among other gifted actors make up the Bikeriders. Renowned for his unique style and sophisticated narrative, Jeff Nichols, the director of the movie has produced an engrossing and intensely emotional work. The movie shows evidence of Nichols' capacity to create engaging characters and investigate difficult subjects.
The Bikeriders: a Photo Adaptation
Danny Lyon's photobook under the same name forms the basis of the movie The Bikeriders. The book has some amazing images depicting the life and events of the Vandals Motorcycle Club in 1960s Chicago. Inspired by these images, Nichols's film adaption starts a fictional narrative examining the life and experiences of the Vandals from their standpoint.
The movie has drawn compliments for its real depiction of 1960s biker culture. The Vandals' universe is enveloped in spectators as the film's production design, clothing, and soundtrack carry them to a bygone age. Visually striking, The Bikeriders catches the vitality and passion of the time.
The Bikeriders Cast: A Perfect Actors' Lineup
Among Hollywood's most brilliant stars are included in the cast of the movie. As Benny, Austin Butler—who plays Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis—offers a riveting performance. Jodie Comer, best known for her role in the hit series Killing Eve, delivers a nuanced and emotionally charged performance as Kathy. Tom Hardy, a veteran actor known for his roles in films like Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant, brings gravitas to the role of Johnny.
The Bikeriders has been praised for its strong performances. The actors deliver believable and engaging portrayals of the complex characters in the film. With its talented cast and compelling story, The Bikeriders is a film that will leave a lasting impression.
The Bikeriders Release Date: When to Watch
The Bikeriders releases in theaters on June 21, 2023. The film is 116 minutes long and is rated R for language throughout, violence, some drug use, and brief sexuality.
Fans of Crime Dramas and period pieces are sure to enjoy The Bikeriders. The film's gritty realism and compelling performances make it a captivating and unforgettable cinematic experience.
