The crime drama «The Bikersiders» starring Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Jodie Comer was released in cinemas on June 20. The plot of the film is inspired by the eponymous photobook by Danny Lyon, published in 1968. In the review below, we tell you how interesting it was to immerse yourself in the subculture of American bikers of the 60s and whether Tom Hardy looks good in a leather jacket with a skull on the back.
Pluses:
quite a fascinating immersion in the American biker subculture of the 60s; good cast; high-quality technical performance (recreation of the era, soundtrack, etc.); this is not a standard genre movie with a typical unambiguous conflict and a distinct villain;
Minuses:
when the movie switches from lighthearted to dramatic, the narrative sags a bit; the harsh biker romance will not be close to everyone; Austin Butler can act better;
«The Bikersiders»
Genre crime drama
Director Jeff Nichols
Starring Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, Norman Reedus, Boyd Goldbrook, Damon Herriman, Emory Cohen, Toby Wallace
Premiere movie theaters
Year of issue 2024
Website IMDb
Chicago suburbs, mid-60s. A motorcycle club «Vandals» is formed among the smoky and cheap-beer-scented bars, led by a charismatic man named Johnny. One day, the beautiful Katie enters one of these bars and is attracted to the hot-headed biker Benny. Despite the fact that her friends advise her to stay away from this young man, they soon develop a romantic relationship.
But the popularity of «Vandals» and the urge to drive fast have a downside. In addition to the fact that the races involve sudden death as a result of an accident, the motorcycle club begins to expand rapidly. To the point that Johnny and the guys close to him can no longer control the process. And it turns out that the newcomers do not share the philosophy of the motorcycle club and a certain code that exists within the subculture. This is what risks turning into catastrophic consequences for everyone involved.
When writing the screenplay for «The Bikersiders», Jeff Nichols was inspired by the photo book of the same name by Danny Lyon, which tells the story of the real-life Outlaws MC motorcycle club founded in McCook, Illinois, in 1935.
Lyon traveled with the club in the Midwest from 1963 to 1967 and took pictures of its members in order to show the lifestyle of local bikers. As the author himself admitted, at some point he came to the conclusion that some of them «are not such romantic people». Nevertheless, black-and-white photographs from Lyon’s work adorn the final credits of the film.
In fact, the plot of «The Bikersiders» Cinematic also plays on the moment when a person with a camera is present in the ranks of the fans of braids and motorcycles, who closely follows the life of «Vandals». Among his interlocutors is the character of Jodie Comer, who in this simple way becomes the narrator and, in fact, the conventionally main character.
From the very first minutes, the filmmakers manage to rivet attention to the screen. Not least due to the fact that the story begins quite lightly, even comically. Therefore, the viewer gets to know the characters easily and naturally.
In terms of its narrative style, the film is more like a biographical drama with some influence from Scorsese’s cinema than a pure genre crime story. That is, there is not even a clearly defined central conflict or a familiar antagonist, and there are not many male showdowns. Between bar gatherings and picnics, the protagonists face local challenges, but the latter are present in the life of any community and any person, so there is nothing special about such everyday life.
Relationship problems due to the boyfriend’s addiction to biker adventures. Scuffles with members of other gangs, with whom you can have a drink after letting off steam. Bar patrons who are unfriendly to bikers. An increasing burden of responsibility on the shoulders of the motorcycle club leader. The inability to prevent your life’s work from turning into an uncontrolled center of crime and violence. All of this and more will befall the heroes instead of spectacular fights, shootouts, or races in the spirit of «Torque» (2004) — a kind of «Fast & Furious» on bikes. It’s hard to make a really exciting movie with such material. Nichols succeeded.
«The Bikersiders» — is about a way of life, even about its meaning («Vandals» for Hardy’s character, family is more important than his wife and children). It is about passion, without which existence has no value. It’s about the center of a separate subculture that promotes outright rebellion and the opportunity to be part of a friendly group of like-minded people. These guys are not satisfied with a groundhog’s routine day and old men’s evenings in front of the TV after a hard day’s work. You can be somebody here if you are nobody outside the club.
Interestingly, these seemingly law-abiding citizens have certain rules, a kind of code. For example, if you are not satisfied with something, you can challenge the boss and win the right to make the changes you want in a fair fight, with fists or knives. Remember «Terminator 2» — even there, guys in leather pants tried to teach the mighty T-800 good manners without resorting to the instant and thoughtless use of firearms.
Tom Hardy plays the Godfather and gives a tough but fair gang leader who is inspired by Marlon Brando’s «The Wild One» (1953) before creating his magnum opus; no wonder his character is called Johnny. There’s also Katie, another great role from Jodie Comer. Austin Butler’s emotions were somewhat lacking for a crazy daredevil, but Norman Reedus made a bright, albeit small, appearance, as if he had rolled in right off the set «The Walking Dead».
Getting to know «The Bikersiders» is easy, interesting, and a breeze. Yes, during this trip, the speed may slow down a bit, and the transition from the lighthearted to the more dramatic is not without its rough edges. But in the end, it’s a pleasant pastime in good company, and the leather jacket fits Tom Hardy like a glove.
Spelling error report
The following text will be sent to our editors: