Hell or High Water (2016)

• Year: 2016
• Released: 26 Aug 2016
• Country: United States
• Adwords: Nominated for 4 Oscars. 47 wins & 175 nominations total
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2582782/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hell_or_high_water
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/hell-or-high-water
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: R
• Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
• Runtime: 102 min
• Writer: Taylor Sheridan
• Director: David Mackenzie
• Cast: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges
• Keywords: road trip, criminal, bank robbery, brother, cowboy,

	7.6/10
	88/100
	97% – Critics
	88% – Audience

Hell or High Water Storyline

Following the death of their mother after an illness, adult brothers Tanner and Toby Howard, both penniless, begin a spree of masked bank hold-ups in small towns in West Texas, Toby having no real experience in such. They only want a few thousand dollars in each hold up, and only hit virtually empty Texas Midlands Bank branches where there are fewer things that can go wrong. Their end goal is to pay off the $40,000 reverse mortgage loan taken out on the family ranch, the bank which will foreclose in a few weeks if payment is not made in full. Toby wants to leave the ranch to his two sons to be held in trust for their financial security, they who he never sees following the divorce from his wife. Tanner and Toby believe it is poetic justice that they plan to achieve their goal by paying Texas Midlands, which holds the loan, with their own money. Although they have the same goal, the brothers having different temperaments may pose problems for them, Tanner, an ex-con, who is tempestuous and impetuous, while Toby is more introspective. Meanwhile, Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton and his second in command Alberto Parker are investigating the hold-ups. Hamilton, who is close to retirement and who takes great pleasure in needling Parker for his part native Indian heritage, may have his own motives in how he decides to proceed in what may very well be his last case, Hamilton’s actions often much to Parker’s exasperation.

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Hell or High Water Movie Reviews

An Acting Clinic … and a Great Film

Jeff Bridges and Chris Pine put on an acting clinic.

Bridges at 66 has enough swagger, ‘tude and testosterone to be an action figure.

Pine, always reliable as a A-lister, takes his craft to a whole new level. He is as far from Captain Kirk as the earth is from the moon. Superb work. And unforgettable.

The script is to die for. Intelligent to a degree that makes you wonder aloud how the constant stream of B and C movies out of Hollywood ever get funded. Solid from the first line of dialog to the last.

West Texas is the unbilled co-star. You feel like you are there.

One of the best releases of the year.

Extremely high in quality, nothing hellish at all about it

One of the most critically acclaimed films of 2016 and nominated for four Oscars, ‘Hell or High Water’ also had an intriguing idea, a talented cast with Jeff Bridges being a particular attraction and a script by ace writer Taylor Sheridan (writer for the brilliant ‘Sicario’, and went on to direct one of the most promising directorial debuts of 2017 with the recent ‘Wind River’).

‘High or High Water’ was not a let down in any way. One of the finest films of 2016 and to me all its four Oscar nominations were among the year’s most deserving (Bridges’ nomination for Best Supporting Actor should have been a strong contender for winning). It is not the most original of stories sure, but that did not matter at all because it executed all its components impeccably and still had its share of surprises. It does have a slow start somewhat but not in any way a want-to-switch-it-off way.

Along with ‘La La Land’ (it has become popular to hate that film, loved it personally), ‘Hell or High Water’ was one of the year’s best-looking films. It has a rustic Western look in terms of setting that is very effectively evoked and it is stunningly shot. It should have been a contender for Best Cinematography, but at least got some recognition for the concise editing.

The rip-roaring, at times hauntingly elegiac and at other times rousing, soundtrack enhances everything going on on screen. That one of the best scores that year was not even nominated and the pretty awful score for ‘Jackie’ (one of the worst things about a disappointing film) was even to a very subjective reviewer, who absolutely despises the “I don’t understand…” and all its various other just as clichéd, overused and abused variations, is not easy to fathom.

Best Original Screenplay was very much deserving, with Sheridan once again striking gold with a snappy, smart and tightly structured script. While meditative in pacing, the story is nonetheless absorbing and surprisingly rich in its complexity. It’s also intricately told and with a mix of the hard-edged and the elegiac.

David Mackenzie does a remarkable job directing, getting the most out of the story and atmosphere and bringing out the best of his cast. Chris Pine’s lead performance is one of his best, but it’s the supporting cast that shine more.

Ben Foster, in a role that is the polar opposite to Pine’s and perhaps the slightly more interesting, is a revelation, even more is an astounding Jeff Bridges who completely disappears into his role to unforgettable effect. One must also single out Gil Birmingham, who really wrenched the heart in this year’s ‘Wind River’ and gives a different but every bit as wonderful turn here.

In conclusion, wonderful film and a 2016 highlight. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Saving the Howard homestead

If Hell On High Water does nothing else you will throw stones or whatever else is handy at the television the next time you see Tom Selleck or Henry Winkler or any of those other folksy actors from back in the day hawk the virtues of the reverse mortgage. It should be called the reverts mortgage because it reverts to your heirs upon your demise. I can certainly sympathize with the Howard brothers here. When my mother passed away and left my brother and I with the bought and paid for completely debt free family home we both salvaged a considerable estate.

Not like Chris Pine and Ben Foster have. Their little patch of land with the house on it is owed to the Texas Midland Bank and they have to cough up the full amount or be kicked off. Pine with wife and family there the situation is a crisis. Fortunately Foster is an experienced criminal who has an expertise in robbing banks. Even with some mistakes these two get away with a lot.

That includes fooling the Texas Rangers on their case who are Jeff Bridges who is days from retirement and Gil Birmingham a full blooded Comanche Indian. They have an interesting relationship and Bridges isn’t exactly the most politically correct person out there.

Hell On High Water got a nomination for Best Picture in 2016 and Bridges was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Let’s just say goals are accomplished, not without loss on both sides. The brothers Pine and Foster have a nice tandem chemistry the same as Bridges and Birmingham.

The film this seems to best compare to is Clint Eastwood’s classic A Perfect World. Watch and see if you agree.