September 25, 2016 -- One of the best movies of 2016 rolled into town slowly and rolled out of town fast, so fast I didn't get around to writing this until after it left town. I was preoccupied with a construction project. Suicide Squad hung around in local theaters for two months, but Hell or High Water was here less than two weeks. That's show business.

Hell or High Water is a smartly-written (by Taylor Sheridan of “Sicario”) well-acted film that closely observes its characters, even the minor ones, like a sassy waitress at a small town restaurant who asks customers what they don't want to eat rather than what they do want to eat. You have to see that scene for yourself. It can't really be explained. There is another good scene at a casino with another minor character.

The story is about two relationships and four men, brothers in arms. You have the Texas bank robbers, brothers Tanner and Toby Howard, trying to save the family ranch. Then you have their pursuers, two Texas Rangers, Marcus Hamilton, who is near retirement, and his long-suffering subordinate, Alberto Parker. Director David Mackenzie explored similar relationships in his prison drama “Starred Up”.

Toby (played by Chris Pine of the “Star Trek” movies) is the brains behind the bank robberies, taking only small, unmarked bills and laundering the money at casinos. The money is being used to pay off the debt on the family's ranch, and to set up a trust to support Toby's ex-wife and children. Tanner (Ben Foster of “The Finest Hours”) Toby's brother, is a loner, a wild ex-con with a violent temper who takes too many chances.

This is like a modern day Western movie with heist movie overtones. The landscape of West Texas is captured effectively by cinematographer Giles Nuttgens (“Water”). There are some references to the unfairness and economic uncertainties of life in America these days. Toby describes his family's generational poverty as a disease, one he is trying to cure, aided by the discovery of oil on the family's ranch. The bank is hoping for a foreclosure, and huge profits from this property. Toby is trying desperately to prevent foreclosure.

A lawyer who is handling the paperwork for the two bank robbers is aware of what they are doing, and he approves of their plan, a sly reference to the crooked dealings of some large banks which ruined millions of lives in the 2008 financial crisis, and escaped unpunished with bailouts. The bank robberies are Toby and Tanner's own kind of financial bailout.

Modern health care costs are also hinted at in this story. Tanner and Toby's mother died after a lingering illness. Her health care costs were financed by a reverse mortgage that the bank profited from — the same bank whose branches are being robbed by the two brothers.

Toby and Tanner's relationship is a complicated one. Toby's plan puts the brothers at risk, and Tanner himself won't get anything out of it. When things go bad, Tanner sticks with his brother, who finally asks him why Tanner, a family outcast, agreed to help Toby and his family. Tanner's simple answer speaks volumes.

The relationship between Marcus Hamilton (played by Jeff Bridges) and his Texas Rangers Native American-Hispanic partner, Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham of “The Lone Ranger”) is even more complicated. Hamilton is about to retire, but wants one more trophy before he does. He loves the chase, and the danger. Parker, on the other hand, is not interested in trophies, or glory, and he would rather avoid the danger.

Parker also chafes at Hamilton's politically incorrect jokes and the fact that Hamilton seems to have no life other than work. Hamilton is generally inconsiderate when it comes to his treatment of Parker. At the same time, there is a certain familiarity and respect between the two men, and a grudging affection. Theirs is almost like an old married couple's relationship. They are brothers in arms, much like Toby and Tanner.

There is finally a showdown between Toby and Hamilton, and the same kind of grudging respect emerges there too. The showdown ends in a strange kind of non-conclusion, to be determined, perhaps, at some time after the end of the movie. Different people interpret this in different ways. I don't care for Wikipedia's take on this. I like my own theory better, and I like the fact that this movie leaves some interesting possibilities on the table. This film rates a B+.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2016 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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