Review: The Bikeriders

Official synopsis: After a chance encounter, headstrong Kathy (Jodie Comer) is drawn to Benny (Austin Butler), member of Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals. As the club transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, Benny must choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.

I don't think the IMDb synopsis above really does this film justice. It implies that we're seeing things from Benny's point of view, and we're thankfully not. This is the Kathy show. She's our main protagonist, she tells the majority of the story. And while yes, there's plenty of scenes of Benny and Tom Hardy's Johnny without her. We still always find our way back to Kathy.

That's the best way director Jeff Nichols could've handled this story. He's been wanting to make a film about a motorcycle club for quite some time, and by having Kathy, a woman stuck in a sea of shitty men as the main voice, the film is far better for it. Even though I just wish Kathy would make better choices for herself.

The majority of the marketing made this film seem like it was going to be about Austin Butler's character, and I think he had 20 words of dialogue in the entire film. It was a nice surprised to see stronger actors like Comer and Hardy getting to do the heavy lifting here. Michael Shannon, a Nichols mainstay being in a smaller role is always a good thing too. (Less so is Norman Reedus, playing himself and mugging for the camera)

Nichols is still one of my favorite working directors, but this is my least favorite film of his. I just don't find the Vandals nearly as interesting as the other stories he's chosen to tell, but that doesn't make this a bad film. It's well done, but I can't see myself rewatching it any time soon.

Grade: B-