The Bikeriders
From writer, director and Michael Shannon superfan Jeff Nichols comes The Bikeriders, a film aptly described as “Goodfellas on Harleys” that chronicles the (further) loss of innocence of a prominent American motorcycle gang at the turn of the 1960s. Starring Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Tom Hardy, the film is a biopic of sorts based on the photobook of the same name by Danny Lyon (played in the film by Challengers’ Mike Faist), compiled during his four years following and interviewing the Chicago Outlaws (fictionalised here as the Vandals). Through interviews that jump back and forth through time we become temporary members of the Vandals, experiencing the events that change the club from the perspective of Jodie Comer’s Kathy, her endearingly Karen Hill coded performance elevating the somewhat familiar storytelling and providing much of the film’s nostalgic charm.
It’s 1965 and Kathy (Comer) lives on a respectable working class street in Chicago. After meeting a friend at a local biker bar, she looks past the sticky floor and the sea of leather jackets to a young man playing pool in smoke and slow motion. His name is Benny (Austin Butler at his most smouldering) and he’s the newest recruit of Chicago’s preeminent biker club, the Vandals. His bad boy vibes and perfect face spell trouble but being a bikie at this point in time isn’t as big a red flag as it might seem; the Vandals are cheeky but in a harmless 1960s way, when the drugs were milder and the love was free. This meet cute is interrupted ever so slightly by Benny’s boss Johnny (Tom Hardy), the alpha of the Vandals and the force who, for the rest of the film, will compete with Kathy for Benny’s time and loyalty.
Throughout The Bikeriders’ lean two hours we ride shotgun to the entanglements of the Vandals and the hasty marriage of Kathy and Benny, bearing witness to the rules of the club and the ramifications of being a member during a metamorphic period in American history. The film does a great job at capturing this transformation from ‘gathering place for local outsiders’ to full blown underbelly of Midwest society, as well as reminding us of the nonfictional nature of its source material. Bolstered by an era specific soundtrack and a strong supporting cast including Australia’s Damon Herriman, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus and the obligatory Michael Shannon, The Bikeriders finds its stride in the chemistry between its characters more than the strength of its script. It’s a competently made crime drama that gave me some insight into American motorcycle culture. But it won’t stand alongside the greats in the genre.
When attempting to review films that I feel a little “and?” about, I like to look at the director’s intention and judge against their own selection criteria. Nichols states in the film’s production notes:
“If you have a universal thought at the core of your story, it is possible to make a very personal, regionally specific film that feels totally unique to a specific time and place that still resonates with a broad and diverse audience.”
He achieves some percentage of this, particularly in the noticeable change in the spirit of the club from its birth to its turbulent later years. The Vandals’ original intention was to be a motorcycle racing club after Johnny watches Marlon Brando in The Wild One and identifies with the character’s desire to rebel – against anything. But Johnny has a stable job, a wife and kids, as do many of the club’s original members. They’re just regular guys looking for community, and something to do on the weekend. They might burn down a bar every now and then but they don’t use guns and they don’t do murder, even when encountering rival clubs. Johnny’s reign in the 60s is relatively peaceful, with challenges to authority met with a fist fight (no one ever chooses the knives option) and a friendly reconciliation afterwards. But as times change for the worse from the 60s to the 70s (the Manson murders, the proxy war in Vietnam, a feeling of disillusionment not unlike today), evil infiltrates the club and it’s no longer about the love of riding and the importance of belonging. The trouble also seeps into the relationship of Benny and Kathy; getting married after five weeks is hardly a good foundation for weathering hard times, and it shows.
Where I’m not sure Nichols’ execution fully delivers on his vision is in making a unique film that resonates on an emotional level. It does feel like Goodfellas on bikes but there’s an emptiness to the homage, and there’s nothing it does that hasn’t been done before. It hits all the expected story beats and it’s enjoyable to watch, but for a film with source material like this, from a director like Nichols, I was hoping for something a little less conventional and familiar.
Still, there are some strong points worthy of praise. The Bikeriders evokes a nostalgia for a simpler time; a time that honoured the hangout, and good music, and getting together with a niche community that looked out for each other. Everyone needs their village, after all. Then there’s the performances, which are mostly wonderful. Jodie Comer carries the whole thing as Kathy, whose charming Chicago accent and neurotic mannerisms might’ve been too much for a lesser actor but are irresistible on the endlessly talented Liverpudlian. Tom Hardy is also great as Johnny, allaying any fears I’d had from the trailer about him delivering another silly accent. But Austin Butler’s character feels a bit underwritten and I struggled to connect with him on a deeper level. Benny is an emotionless enigma and he remains that way for most of the film, his story feeling a little lacking in conclusion. Butler’s aesthetic perfection masks his character’s hollowness. But what a face.
All in all, The Bikeriders is an easy watch for anyone who appreciates the guttural rumble of a fleet of men on two wheeled hogs and the carnal appeal of Austin Butler. While it’s a film that doesn’t seem to say as much as its director intended, it’s an enjoyable ride elevated by strong performances and nostalgia for a time we’ll never get back.
Verdict:
☆☆☆½
The Bikeriders is in cinemas now. It pairs well with a neat bourbon and a Steppenwolf tune on the ride home.
