Motorcycles, fights, and beers. The Bikeriders is as fun as it is heartwarming.
It was hard to recall if I’ve seen some of Jeff Nichol’s films. Even Mud, with one of the most charismatic and unforgettable actors, was hard to give a proper review. I love his storytelling about regular people in Middle America. However, they can be dull. I can visualize a movie like Loving being an energetic and agitational film about the legalization of interracial marriage. But not Jeff Nichols. He just wanted to make a humanistic story about two people loving each other no matter the consequences. That is ok. But what can we expect about a film revolving around a motorcycle group?
Turns out The Bikeriders is as emotional as everything else he’s done and more exciting than usual. It’s an entertaining ride with fascinating characters and a soundtrack of diverse jams to keep the pace. Although the film doesn’t lack the sentimentalism of Nichols, he is also in the appealing style of Scorsese’s biographical films.
A Great Cast of Characters
Part of the film’s charm is the performances of Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, and Nichols regular Michael Shannon. Not to mention Norman Reedus, stealing the show as the insane renegade. It’s an ensemble cast of quaint characters. They fight, they drink, and they love each other. There are so many homoerotic undertones that it makes me wonder if they knew what they were doing when they released the film during Pride Month.
Even with some of the most magnetic men in cinema, this is Jodie Comer’s breakthrough. Her performance as Benny’s wife. She is charming and compelling from the first second she’s on screen. Her range as the story told from her character’s perspective is noteworthy.
What I like about all these ‘Rise and Fall’ stories is that we’ve all been there. It can be a group of friends, a hangout spot, or the workplace. We’ve all said, “It’s not the same,” at some point. It is relatable. At as much entertaining value as The Bikeriders has, Jeff Nichols is still doing what he loves, humanistic modern tales of everyday people.
