4/5
The Motorcycle Diaries
116 Mins. Starring:
Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, Emory Cohen, Toby Wallace, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Will Oldham, Mike Faist & Norman Reedus. Screenplay: Jeff Nichols. Director: Jeff Nichols. In: Theatres.
The Godfather of motorcycle movies is one of icons. Based on the book and powerful photography of the same name by Danny Lyon (here played with a journalist's curious passion by 'Challengers' and 'West Side Story' star Mike Faist), 'The Bikeriders', from great director of our time, Jeff Nichols ('Loving', 'Mud', 'Take Shelter', 'Midnight Special'), is an easy rider's dream. 'Lawless' legendary 'Venom: The Last Dance' star Tom Hardy continues a comprehensive calendar by playing the leader of a motorcycle gang, who takes inspiration from the same Warhol artwork Marlon Brando movie that gave the big band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club their name. Taking television set cues on the couch from 'The Wild One' that Hardy has in his own career (the great of our generation mumbling his way through 'Lawless', 'Warrior', 'The Drop', 'The Revenant' and of course, 'Capone'). Meanwhile, fresh-off of his 'Elvis' Academy residency, not to mention his bald identity in 'Dune: Part Two', 'Once Upon A Time In...Hollywood' star Austin Butler (on his own big year) goes the Al Pacino route of putting up 'Scarecrow' after he played Sonny.
Butler, serving up looks, fewer words than early Hardy, and an accented performance without the Presley one, is brilliant. Subtly giving us one of the best performances and pictures that, if it was back in the studded seventies jackets day, would be as iconic as Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper (nice nod). The Hardy boy gives us one of his best, too, in this Nichols narrative that also features big names behind biker beards and hair that could use its own chopper. There's a real reunion between Michael Shannon and Jeff Nichols after the director's debut 'Take Shelter' and alien affair of the mesmerizing 'Midnight Special' (and other appearances in all the director's work). 'Logan', 'The Predator' and 'Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny' favourite Boyd Holdbrook before he reunites, like a Johnny Cash characterization, with James Mangold for the Chalamet Dylan movie 'A Complete Unknown'. An almost unrecognizable Cockroach that is Emory Cohen ('Brooklyn', 'The Place Beyond The Pines'). And an even more unrecognizable 'Walking Dead' star Norman Reedus, riding in from California to saddle up with these vandals of Chicago with chapters in Milwaukee like the Bulls and Bucks.
Nuanced narration however comes from the real star of this show, 'Killing Eve' star Jodie Comer, who kills it with her midwestern American accent. 'The Last Duel' and 'Free Guy' star from the Beatles' town of Liverpool again chameleon camouflages her strong scouse accent, like her villainous character in the BBC's brilliant 'Eve' does. This movie is all about her, and soon, so will Hollywood. After this indie darling, by the time Comer comes to Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy's '28 Years Later' sequel, she'll be one of the biggest big screen stars in the world like she is on the small screen, thanks to ones for her, like this. Standing out in a crowd of leather and oil, featuring turnout performances from all the steel horses. Damon Herriman (the man who played Charles Manson twice, in 'Once Upon A Time' and Netflix and David Fincher's 'Mindhunter') and 'Southpaw' Beau Knapp giving Fonzie a run for his Brylcreem money. Not to mention a piss and vinegar eager Toby Wallace as The Kid and singer/songwriter/actor Will Oldham as one hell of an unlucky bartender, after his amazing speech in the kitchen of 'A Ghost Story'.
Turn in your colours to independent cinemas from Liverpool's FACT to Kino, here in Japan, and you will see a picture as iconic as the photography that inspired it in principle. Standing over a Budweiser neon bar's pool table, taking muscled up all-American cues, this one will break you. Sure, it may not pocket any Oscars, but it remains in the corner, holding you like 'The Iron Claw', but similar to a lover. This photo book crime drama written by Nichols and featuring a fictional version of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club (they want no trouble) is a 50th Telluride Film Festival favourite. Delayed from last December to Summer, after the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, and finally here this fall in the Far East. All the way down to the perfect poster, this focussed feature could be thrown back to the cranked up past it was engine gunned from. Fists or knives, inside the Lyon's den, this one rides. A crucial chapter of culture and American history. A rallying cry to lost men and all the cause and effect that the Vietnam War left in its wake of veterans strung out on heroin and stories of anti-heroes. Hotheads and wheels, gassed up, 'The Bikeriders' takes you to parts unknown, and seldom revved up and heard these days. And some that may just hit home a little harder for the hearts of men. Burning rubber...and each other, yet still coming together. Let it ride like a rolling stone. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Easy Rider', 'Lawless', 'Mud'.
