My Take:
- IMHO, the first fifteen minutes were better than the entire two previously watched films that day.
- “Tweakers don’t sleep, they just tweak.”
I liked this film. It had just enough action that moved at a consistent pace. AND it had a runtime of 102 minutes. For that, I was SO thankful. This was the third of four movies watched in a single setting. I enjoyed the characters. After realizing the true plot, I fell in love with the man trying to honor his Mother while also providing for his children, even if it fell outside of doing so legally. Although the movie was one continual car chase, it was a good storyline, solid plot and made sense to me. Of the four watched that day (including Manchester By The Sea, Fences and La La Land), this was my favorite (of those four in particular). I am not sure that I would qualify it as “Oscar worthy.” But a solid film, all the same. I give it a B+.
Did you see the movie? Like it or hate it? Let me know in the comments below.
Additional Info About The Movie:
Synopsis: A story about the collision of the Old and New West. Two brothers: Toby (Chris Pine), a straight-living, divorced father trying to make a better life for his son and Tanner (Ben Foster), a short-tempered ex-con with a loose trigger finger – come together to rob branch after branch of the bank that is foreclosing on their family’s land. Vengence seems to be theirs until they find themselves in the crosshairs of a relentless, foul-mouthed Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) looking for one last triumph on the eve of his retirement.
Starring:
Clips for the movie can be found:
It received a Rotten Tomatoes review of 98% Fresh. It received a Rotten Tomato audience rating of 89% liking it. Average rating was 4.1/5 and the number of user ratings was 34,602.
Additional reviews by:
It had an estimated $12M budget.
Additional IMDB Trivia:
- The phrase “come hell or high water” typically means “do whatever needs to be done, no matter the circumstances”. It also refers to the “hell or high water clause” in a contract, usually a lease, which states that the payments must continue regardless of any difficulties the paying party may encounter. Both definitions apply to different parts of the plot in this movie.
- The film is dedicated to David John Mackenzie (1929-2015) and Ursula Sybil Mackenzie (1940-2015), the parents of director David Mackenzie. Both died while he was making this film.
- Toby offers his son a beer. Texas is one of ten states that allows underage minors to consume alcohol in specific locations, such as the privacy of home or in the presence of consenting and supervising family members.
- This movie is set in Texas, but not a single scene was actually filmed there.
- Chris Pine plays the younger brother to Ben Foster’s character but is actually two months older than Ben Foster
- The first two bank robberies take place in Archer City and Olney, Texas. These were towns used in the filming of The Last Picture Show (1971), which also starred Jeff Bridges.
- The actors in the film state several times that the foreclosure sale of the family ranch will occur on Friday. All foreclosure sales in Texas only occur on the first Tuesday of the month.
Quotes
- T Bone Waitress: I’ve been working here for 44 years. Ain’t nobody ever ordered nothing but a T-Bone steak and baked potato. Except one time, this asshole from New York ordered a trout, back in 1987. We ain’t got no goddamned trout.
- Tanner: This is Mr. Pibb. I asked for a Dr. Pepper. Toby: So? Tanner: Only assholes drink Mr. Pibb. Toby: Drink up.
- Why is it always the sweet ones that are such devils when you get them revved up?
Thoughts and Ponderances 