The Bikeriders Review
Jeff Nichols is here with his sixth directorial effort. The film is titled The Bikeriders starring; Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, and a slew of great character actors including Nichols perennial favorite Michael Shannon.
Jeff drew inspiration from a coffee table book by photojournalist Danny Lyon of the same name. Danny followed, photographed, and interviewed members of a motorcycle club in the Midwest in the late 1960s.
Jeff drew inspiration from these photos and wrote a fictional account of the men and women in the photos.
Off the bat, Nichols has Jodie in full swing with her thick Chicago accent. If you’re not into what Jodie is doing here, you will never be onboard likely keeping you at arm’s length for the film.
Jodie is excellent in this film. I fell right into the groove of this film thanks to her commitment to character. Along with strong accents, Tom Hardy is also flexing his vocal cords.
Hardy’s accent is somewhat explained by a scene early on in which he is watching Marlon Brando in The Wild One. Hardy’s Johnny wants to be exactly like Brando in The Wild One as many young men did back in 1953.
The film is episodic and meandering in its storytelling. It’s the above-referenced scene we can take the film’s theme. The aura of motorcycle riding was born out of rebellion.
In the early years of motorcycle clubs men go together because they love to ride and position themselves on the outside of society. However, as the years went on and America’s innocence was lost, so was the innocence of motorcycle riding.
Soon the films go from The Wild One to a Roger Corman exploitation motorcycle film The Wild Angels, a seedier motorcycle film that showed the sinister side of MCs and where they were headed.
As did Hollywood, this film morphs from beatnik to exploitation motorcycle film. It’s hell to see something you love become something you do not understand and thus give up.
As I write this review I love the ending more and more. I won’t spoil what happens but it’s a realistic ending.
A great hangout session should be scored with a plethora of great music, which this film is chock-full of. It’s like looking at a photograph scored to a particular song and moving to the next picture.
However, because of this, the film can feel disjointed at times. Almost like we’re listening to someone recollect their earlier years. To be fair that is the storytelling technique.
Nevertheless, through it all, Austin Butler’s strong silent type is there taking it all in. Austin is not asked to do more than look incredible on a bike, which he nails. If you don’t want your kid to ride motorcycles don’t show them Butler on one in this film, because they’ll want to be him.
Butler has a scene late in the film to showcase his abilities as an actor. Much like Zac Efron in The Iron Claw. Austin may appear to not be doing much, but it’s all internal until he releases everything at the end.
Maybe it won’t make my top ten of 2024, but as a film I enjoyed, this will be one of my favorites from 2024.
4/5 Stars
