Hell or High Water

Hell or High Water is that rare movie that hits every right note.  There's not a single scene that drags, a performance that seems off, or a moment that seems convoluted.  It intrigues us with its characters and scenarios, explaining just enough, but also leaving much a mystery.  As the story unravels, we are even more intrigued, and surprised to find that the movie knows what it's doing every step of the way.  This is a supremely well thought out movie that lends comparison to some of the best films of the Coen Brothers, and shares their love for crime stories mixed with local color humor.

Set in a desolate part of West Texas that seems like it has seen better days, we are introduced to two brothers - Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster), who are early in the stages of a bank robbing spree as the film opens.  They only rob regional branches of the same bank and only make off with small non-traceable bills.  We soon discover the reason behind the spree.  Toby wants to pay off the money he owes on his ranch home, which he discovers has oil underground on the land, before the bank can seize it.  Toby is divorced, and wants to give the land to his sons, so that they can live comfortably the rest of their lives without having to worry about the poverty that has gripped much of the local area.  Toby has never been in trouble with the law, so he needs the help of his brother, who recently served a 10 year prison sentence, and seems to be the more compulsive of the two.

Using Tanner's criminal knowledge, the two successfully pull off enough jobs to get the attention of Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges), a Texas Ranger on the verge of retirement, and his deputy Alberto (Gil Birmingham).  The relationship between Marcus and Alberto is one of the better "buddy" relationships I've seen on the screen this year.  Alberto is from a Native American-Mexican background, and constantly receives ridicule and teasing from Marcus, which Alberto is only too happy to return.  Their relationship is a combination of comedic competitiveness, and mutual respect, and you really grow to care about both men.  Their constant barbs and one-liners sound natural, not scripted, and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (Sicario) gives their relationship and dialogue a flow that truly feels like these men have known and worked aside each other for years.

But it's not just the dialogue that works here, it's the way the film's message is conveyed.  As brothers Toby and Tanner make their way down the road to their next heist, they pass by numerous signs advertising loans, and homes that have gone into foreclosure.  It's obvious that the banks themselves are the true villains of the piece, and that everyone has been affected in some way.  Marcus even has trouble getting people to cooperate when it comes to identifying the robbers, as some of the locals seem to feel the banks have had it coming to them for years.  One local in a diner tells Marcus that the bank has been robbing him for 30 years, so he obviously doesn't care about what has happened.  The movie never gets preachy or heavy handed, and it knows how to deliver its message in such a way that we're not being talked down to.  Also, the movie does not portray the two brothers pulling off the robberies as heroes.  They're in it for themselves (and possibly an adrenaline rush from the loose cannon Tanner), and not trying to help people or make a statement.

Hell or High Water is really telling two stories.  In one, we have the brothers, and their volatile relationship.  Toby knows that Tanner is out of control, but he loves him, and maybe hopes he can reign him in a little, and tries to at times during their heists.  In the other, we have Marcus and Alberto tracking the path and moves of the brothers.  Yes, the two stories do eventually come together, but that's not the ultimate goal I think.  We see the story from both sides, and it's fascinating on both ends.  The cast is note-perfect in almost every regard, although Jeff Bridges does do his mumbling drawl again here that can make him hard to understand at some points.  Still, it didn't bother me as much as it has in the past, and he demands your attention every time he's on the screen.  Same goes for Pine and Foster, who create a likable bond that seems to be on the verge of tearing apart at any minute.  The movie is even beautiful to look at, thanks to the cinematography by Giles Nuttgens, who paints the West as kind of a proud entity that has been hit by hard times, and refuses to go quietly.  Kind of like the character of Marcus himself, as he faces retirement.

This is not an inventive movie, but it's been crafted and written so well, you almost feel like you are experiencing it for the first time.  It's the kind of movie that grabs you almost instantly, and stays with you long after it's gone.   After a summer movie season that was largely disposable save for some exceptions, that in itself is praise enough.  This is simply one of the finest films of the year.

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