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MOVIE REVIEW 'Hell or High Water' is a superb character study Comment By Chris Honoré for Revels DailyTidings.com By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Sep. 8, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Sep. 8, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Hell or High Water ; 102 min; Rated R “Hell or High Water” is set in West Texas, a desolate, wind-blown stretch of the Lone Star state with boarded up storefronts and sun-bleached vistas dotted by rusting farm equipment and to-the-bone laconic people who know hardscrabble. The opening scene shows two men (brothers, as it turns out) entering a small Midlands Texas bank, both wielding guns, only to discover that they’re too early and the cash drawers are empty. This is indeed their first rodeo. They wait until the manager arrives, grab some cash, and head to the next town and the next Midlands branch, where they tell the few patrons to get on the floor. They leap across the counters and take only small, untraceable bills, and after a brief shootout with a local old cuss, who’s carrying concealed, make their getaway and later bury the car. The brothers, Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) Howard, are on a mission to steal some $40,000 in order to pay back what’s left of their recently deceased mother’s reverse mortgage on the family ranch (held by Midlands bank and defines irony), before the bank forecloses. They only have a few days. Toby, divorced, has two boys, and he is desperate to break what has been a multi-generational cycle of poverty. What Toby has learned is that the property is oil-rich, a fact seemingly unknown to Midlands. Their string of bank robberies draws the attention of two Texas Rangers, Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) and Alberto Parker (Gill Birmingham). Marcus, a man who has seen it all and still wants to stay in the hunt, is on the cusp of retirement and not pleased with the prospect. Together, the two Rangers set out to literally follow the money, interviewing some of the locals who reside in small towns and pass their days in local cafes discussing which way the wind is blowing and what the samhill is the world coming to. This is a wonderful film, and if you are a fan of the Cohen brothers and their dry-as-dirt film “No Country for Old Men,” then you will find much to admire in this astonishingly well-written tale (screenwriter: Taylor Sheridan, who also penned “Sicario,” a remarkable film that appeared last year). When push comes to shove, not only is “Hell or High Water” a tense neo-western, but it is also a multidimensional character study of four men. Marcus and Alberto bicker and disagree like an old married couple, sprinkling their interaction with racist teasing (Alberto is part Indian and part Mexican). Toby and Tanner have a lifelong history and rely on insults and affection developed over decades. Toby is the inspiration for their plan. Tanner is addicted to the adrenaline rush of being a knucklehead criminal. There is also a layer of hard-edged social commentary that is inescapable. Just behind the faded facades of these small towns is an anger and uncertainty that seems all but impossible to overcome. Most folks are barely keeping their heads above water, and a lot aren’t. The full plot finally emerges in act three, accompanied by a nice twist. The ending comes as a sad surprise, though there is subtle foreshadowing and therefore has a kind of inevitability about it. Tangentially, every central performance is spot-on — the supporting character actors simply superb — and Bridges demonstrates once again why he is one of the best actors working today. Chris Pine delivers a fine portrayal of the reticent younger brother, and Ben Foster is, as always, excellent. Don’t miss “Hell or High Water.” By Chris Honoré for Revels DailyTidings.com By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Sep. 8, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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