Cinema Scholars reviews Jeff Nichols’ nostalgic drama, The Bikeriders. The film stars Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer. Focus Features will release The Bikeriders in theaters nationwide on June 21.
Introduction
Everyone has heard the adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Little did Danny Lyon know, his 1967 photo book, “The Bikeriders”, about a Chicago motorcycle club would inspire much more than a thousand words over 50 years later. Lyons, a college student at the time, chronicled the elusive club’s rise through captivating photography and interviews with the crew’s colorful characters.
In Jeff Nichols’ latest ensemble drama, The Bikeriders, the screenwriter/director riffs on Lyons’s work and creates a unique story evocative of a bygone era.
Synopsis
Back before bikers were synonymous with gangs, there existed a subset of gearheads who communed simply to share their love of riding. Many of the members were indeed considered black sheep or outcasts in polite society. Nevertheless, these early groups were driven more by honor and camaraderie rather than mayhem and menace.
Though the main narrative of The Bikeriders is fictionalized, stories throughout the film are based on accounts from Lyons’s research. This also includes hours of additional recordings plus images never published that Nichols gained access to through the author.
Discussion
In Nichol’s take, it’s not the riders who serve as the narrator of the film. Rather, the filmmaker tells the fascinating tale through stories from biker-wife Kathy (Jodie Comer). As the domestic partner of Vandals MC’s rabble-rouser Benny (Austin Butler), the bee-hived Kathy has plenty to say into Lyons’ clunky tape recorder. Flashbacks of her first introduction to the motorcycle club, stories of turf wars, and the eventual evolution of the groups to gangs are carefully curated through Kathy’s account.
Nichols jumps back and forth between original interviews from the 60’s and a later follow-up with Kathy in the early ’70s. This back and forth further illustrates the huge cultural shift that occurs not only in motorcycle culture during that transformative era, but also throughout the world.
While much of the focus is aimed at Benny’s dynamic with the Vandal’s enigmatic leader Johnny (Tom Hardy), Nichols also gives ample appreciation to supporting characters and their stories. Endearing interviews with various members personalize a subsection of society often seen as fringe. This mix of story development paired with an array of likable personalities makes for a very entertaining ensemble drama.
Performances
As the leader of the Vandals MC, Tom Hardy glowers terrifically as the quintessential mid-century blue-collar man’s man. He’s fair and honorable until he’s not, which unwittingly signals a shift in the club ethos. While his character’s questionable judgment triggers a turn in the narrative, Hardy’s unwavering serious temperament makes the shift natural. Though his obvious nod to Brando’s Wild One era might be distracting for some, his utter charisma in the role will make it moot for others.
Austin Butler wows once again with a powerhouse portrayal of born renegade, Benny. Matching Hardy’s believable bravado, Butler also makes Benny’s mayhem so dazzling you don’t even stop to consider his character’s motivation. Butler’s unending intensity perfectly carries the sometimes meandering narrative.
Supporting Cast and the Scene-Stealer
Supporting performances by a litany of exciting talent fill out The Bikeriders perfectly. Michael Shannon brings awesome weirdness as the slightly unhinged biker Zipco. Boyd Holbrook reps the West Coast as the lovable gearhead Cal. Aussie Damon Harriman, best known for two separate portrayals of Charles Manson, dons an incredibly authentic mid-western vibe and good-natured persona as Johnny’s right-hand man, Brucie. And Emory Cohen sweetly shines as the exceedingly earnest Cockroach.
But the award for total scene-stealer goes firmly to Jodie Comer as Kathy. With an astonishingly legit Chicago accent plus a no-nonsense attitude, Comer elevates The Bikeriders from the super-serious testosterone fest it might have been otherwise. With wide-eyed indictment, Comer matter-of-factly weaves the story using equal parts outsider wonder and insider tea. As Lyons (Mike Faist doing a subdued about-face from his titillating role in Challengers) plies Kathy with questions even years after the initial dramatic storyline, it’s Comer’s shoulder-shrugging delivery that keeps the story from veering into total melodrama.
Conclusion
While there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking in The Bikeriders, Nichols takes us on a mesmerizing trip back to a time when greasers still followed an unspoken code of ethics. A time when heavy drugs and organized crime gradually took hold of motorcycle culture. A time when genuine camaraderie gradually gave way to thuggery and menace. While the pastime has continued to evolve over the decades, morphing into a way of life for many today, The Bikeriders provides a fascinating slice of life from the early days of the movement.
Focus Features will release The Bikeriders in theaters nationwide on June 21.
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