I must admit from the outset that I’m not at all familiar with the work of Jeff Nichols. But just hearing a minuscule amount about his latest film, The Bikeriders, I found myself intrigued. And who wouldn’t be? You have three wildly exciting actors leading the film. Two of them are performers who we’ve been waiting to see jump off screen again for the first time in a while! There’s Jodie Comer, who delivered an absolute showstopper of a performance in Ridley Scott’s 2021 film, The Last Duel. And then there’s Tom Hardy who, with the exception of the Venom films (which I mildly enjoy, if only for his unhinged performances), last starred in Josh Trank’s 2020 film, Capone. My thoughts on that film certainly vary, but Hardy’s performance was lost to the black hole of a streaming library. Maybe that’s a good thing for all involved, but as a fan of Hardy, he should be all over the big screen! And then there’s Austin Butler. His performance in Dune: Part Two shattered any and all expectations of what he could do. He’s great in Elvis. It was the immediate arrival of a star embodied in cinematic form. And now, with Nichols’ The Bikeriders, he proves something fundamental about his stardom. Doubters and haters be damned, the man just pops on screen. Provided with more than one movie star introduction, Butler delivers a performance that just commands attention in ways that rival movie stars of the past. And that’s fitting, considering this is a film that’s all about looking back in time wistfully.
Inspired by a photo book of the same name by Danny Lyon, it’s understandable all the ways in which this film harkens back to a time long gone. The sign of a truly great photograph is how evocatively it can transport us to the moment it was taken. And can’t the same be said for film? Watching a film from the past can bring us to that specific moment in time. And a period piece, such as The Bikeriders, can do a great job at transporting us there through its production design. Costumes, locations, props (in the case of this film, incredibly loud, hulking choppers). All come together to service the idea that we as viewers have been transported back in time for a few hours. And what better way to do that then make a film that reminds us of these films of the past? I’m not saying The Bikeriders rips off the visual language of the 60s and 70s. Nor does it ape the style of films from that era. But it does use some of the simple tools those films used to massive effect. Before the advent of technology that allowed movies to appear like they were filmed all over the world, all filmmakers had, aside from production design as I wrote earlier, were the locations themselves, and the performers that populated those spaces. Lucky for Nichols, as I also wrote earlier, he was able to pull in such a wide range of exciting on-screen talent to populate his film.
For example, there’s the very opening of the film. Benny (Austin Butler) is sitting in a bar, back facing the camera. Two men approach, shouting and threatening for him to take off his motorcycle club jacket. We can’t even see his face for a large swath of this introduction. Nichols and frequent DoP collaborator Adam Stone hold their hand back for as long as possible. At first, we only see him provide a passing glance to each side. One expects the cliché of a surprise attack on the two strangers bothering him. Instead, Nichols chooses to have him repeatedly knocked down and thrown to the ground. It’s only when the group takes it outside that we see Butler bathed in full light, swallowing up the frame. With a devilish grin on his face, Nichols, Stone, and Butler make a crystal clear announcement. Butler doesn’t need to be stuck in an Elvis accent for years to garner interest. He doesn’t need to be bald, covered completely in stark white body paint to command discussion. He just looks fantastic on camera. The man pops off the screen, and in doing so, signals the exciting confirmation of being a young star who chooses exciting projects and makes fascinating performance decisions. In many ways, it’s reminiscent of Hardy’s choices as an actor.
Let me be crystal clear: Hardy is exceptional in this film. In fact, he’s very rarely bad. Some may not mesh with the choices he makes in a role. But more often than not, he’s great. It shouldn’t be a hot take to say he’s a great actor! Anytime he’s on screen is a joy, and getting to sit back and marvel at the angles he examines within a character is always a treat. And when it comes to his performance as Johnny, the above thoughts are no different. There’s been so much talk about his voice in the film, but that’s not even remotely an issue to me. It’s a compelling choice. This is also coupled with the fact that so much of his performance relies on his focused eyes and tense body language. It’s my belief that the issues with his voice stem from a larger issue with the film: the overall tone. It feels as if Nichols’ script is never completely sure in what lane The Bikeriders should cruise. I would argue this should firmly sit in the lane of a heavier drama. There’s comedic moments, and that’s not an issue at all. But when there’s such an imbalance, often at the cost of characters on the outskirts of the relationship between Benny and Johnny, it leaves an odd taste in the mouth of the viewer. Not a sour one, but just enough to make you question exactly what’s going on. And in turn, audiences might then assume that most situations in the film are made to be laughed at. Whenever Benny and Johnny are on screen together, including a phenomenally tense scene lit by campfire alone, The Bikeriders is captivating. It’s two actors baring their souls to one another. It’s a sequence that solidifies the thesis of the film, which Hardy then doubles down on in the climax. It’s in moments like these that allow this film to soar. Unfortunately, Nichols’ film doesn’t leave much room for anybody else, especially Comer’s Kathy.
The entire film is structured around Lyon’s (Mike Faist) interviews of the Outlaws MC (motorcycle club). But a large majority of the film is told through the lens of Kathy. If Lyon is the cipher through which audiences originally were introduced to the Outlaws, it’s through Kathy that Nichols’ audience will learn about the inner sanctum of the club. But just because the film is channeled through her point of view doesn’t mean it does right by her character. In fact, I would argue that this film fails Comer overall. It’s very clear that Nichols is infatuated by the inner machinations of the Outlaws. As I wrote earlier, whenever the film focuses on the group, and especially on Benny and Johnny, it’s great. But whenever Nichols turns the focus to Comer, it feels as if it’s just a way to work towards the next scene. Kathy is a woman who feels as if she’s losing agency daily the longer she stays married to Benny. And the only time this script ever really examines her side of things is through the lens of Benny’s or Lyon’s reactions. In the earlier scenes where Comer is being introduced to more of the Outlaws, she’s so much fun. It’s a performance that takes expository sequences and introductions and makes them fresh and exciting for the audience. But then, when she should be able to provide a layer of gravitas to the film from an outside perspective of the Outlaws’ behavior, the script doesn’t allow her to. Comer is good in this film, don’t get me wrong. But it feels as if the role is a disservice to both character and performer by not giving Kathy any room to flourish beyond the first act.
But even with these tonal flaws and character issues, I can’t help but feel as if The Bikeriders won me over. It achieves its goal of presenting times that are long gone with a sense of reality and yearning. Not that things were necessarily better then, but The Bikeriders yearns for a simpler way of living. More importantly, it focuses on how the past inevitably makes way for newer paradigms and values, both for better and for worse. And while it does feel as if it’s mourning the good old days a bit too much at times, one can’t help but think of when movies like this would take up several screens in a multiplex. It’s a deeply fascinating film that looks fantastic throughout, and has movie stars aplenty to keep your eyes glued to the big screen. And when it comes to movies, there are few better than feelings? I’m sure there will be different interpretations of the final moments, but mine felt clear from the moment the credits rolled. The times, and inevitably people, do change. But we can still look back at the golden moments with a smile on our face and acknowledge that they happened. Movies like The Bikeriders may not come around all that often anymore. So it’s up to us to cherish them while films like it still exist in any capacity, and smile as we’re reminded of just how often they used to roll around as the pictures play in our heads or on our screens at home.
Focus Features is releasing The Bikeriders in theaters nationwide on June 21, 2024.