Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

The Bikeriders 

This is one of the most immersive drama films I’ve seen this year! Jeff Nicolas has crafted a film that is very much thrust into the setting the story it takes place in and makes you feel totally transported to the 1960’s from the locations, character and even the style of the film feels like it was a film that could of come out in the 60’s the attention to detail made it feel that much more authentic. What makes the film stand out is its immersive experience along with its incredible performances from Austin Butler and a career defining performance by Tom Hardy and a scene stealing performance from Jodie Comer the film explores the depths of what it’s like being loyal to a club you’d follow no matter the emotional cost and what it would do to the people around you. The Bikeriders is a truly terrific film that is among one of the years best! 

Firstly, Jeff Nicolas has shaped a film that feels like it was released in the time it’s set in the way he uses the setting to tell its story is one of the strongest points of the film. The way he uses the sheer scope and set design to draw the audience in was brilliantly used as from the costumes. Set design and music to how the frame looks all grainy and have the psychical film look like it is very fitting to its time made you truly feel like your experiencing the period it’s set in almost documentary style of filmmaking. What I mean by that is the actors didn’t even feel like actors it felt like they just aimed a camera at its locations and documented these people of this moment in time and Jeff Nicolas makes the characters feel so real and the towns feel so lived in. So the way he’s able to just breath such life into it’s story was truly amazing. And then the way he deals with the sheer tone of the film was great as many people thought this looked like a bike gang goodfellas film but it’s very much not that whatsoever it’s a slow meditation on loyalty and how far your willing to go to be faithful to something you’ve loved your whole life no matter the emotional cost. And it shows the dark aspects that come from motorbike gangs to the family like bonds they have with each other that is very much like brothers. And it shows the multiple layers of what it would be like if you dated or married a person in a gang and the journey it takes the person on as it very much tells the story from the point of view of Jodie Comer’s point of view as the audience we are drawn into the whole world of the biker community because of how alluring Austin Butler is and just like Comer’s character she has no idea what she has gotten herself into until after theirs no turning back. The film portrays the great complications she had with her husband and how she wants him to be this romantic and attentive husband while all he knows is this family he joined and he has not the greatest approach of how to give his wife what he wants as his social skills have never been adapt to the romantic lifestyle and so her character tries to show him how to soften his very hard tough guy personality. It’s full of such great layers that explores the minds of each character in a way that gives them all moments to shine and truly get the audience to understand why they are the way they are. The approach to its story and style is great as well as its amazing written detail to its characters was amazingly well fleshed out and presented. 

Secondly, the performances from the entire cast is truly phenomenal! Austin Butler gives so much by barely saying a word in a performance that feels like a homage to James Dean and golden movie stars of that era in his portrayal of the character onscreen. He barley says a word but he dose not need to in order to understand his motivations and what his priorities are as he has only known how to use his body to fight and not ask questions. So he isn’t as emotionally vulnerable as he has been conditioned to be this tough guy and his relationships suffer due to his emotional disconnect with others as he will do anything to show the loyalty to this club. Butler shines in a performance that is subtle but truly incredible and then their is Tom Hardy who plays this old fashioned boss that is sure tough but unlike Butlers character is able to be emotionally connected to others which is also what is his downfall. As unlike like Butlers character he thinks with old school ethics and with his heart which is what makes him so captivating to watch as Hardy explores this father Type relationship he has with Austin and trying to get through to him to make the right choices and not go down a path that’s destructive and Jeff Nicolas explores that complex relationship over the course of the story. Tom Hardy gives in my opinion such a truly captivating performance that is the best onscreen performance he’s given as of now as he shows an emotional tenderness he’s never tapped into before. Then you have Jodie Comer who plays the wife that goes through a tough time trying to just love this man that has no idea how to love her back the way she needs. And Jodie brings such a genius old fashioned American accent that is soaked in heartache and stress of potentially never seeing her man alive whenever he leaves the house. She is constantly going through emotional turmoil because she just wants to have a loving relationship when her husband thrusts her and himself into constant trouble as he can’t help it as that’s who he is even tho she constantly asks him to leave the gang to just be the man she needs. After many attempts she learns no matter what she can never get through to him and that helpless look is shown in such a gut wrenching way through her eyes and Comer gives a amazing performance that is very much the way into this story and we are seeing how the events play out from her perspective. Comer is amazing giving an emotionally powerful performance as she constantly is put through absolute hell and she executes that stress through the heart of the character in a way that is so captivating. The whole cast give amazing performances regardless of how big or small they all contribute to the frame in a way that makes it feels so lived in and like real characters that have been around for ages  and that’s a huge testament to how every actor just commands the screen with a genuine and authentic look into the souls of their roles. 

Lastly, The Bikeriders is one of the most immersive films that truly makes you feel transported back To its period its set in from its great attention to detail, costumes and committed performances from its entire cast some of which giving career best performances. The film explores themes of family, loyalty, love and masculinity in a way that is so raw in its depiction that will have you wrapped into the story from its first frame to its final scene Jeff Nicolas has shaped a film that is among one of the best character driven narratives while being a homage to old fashioned storytelling The Bikeriders is about the heart behind a motorbike gang and the complications that come with it and it’s truly a remarkable film that is one of the best films of the year! 

This film centres around a woman’s story of her husbands time in a bike gang from the 1960’s and the sheer ups and downs had from being thrust into that world. 

Rated R : Language Throughout|Brief Sexuality|Some Drug Use|Violence

Austin Butler : Butler delivers a subtle and emotionally rich performance that is said with very few words. He moves around with such a weight of charm and has this sexual attraction that lures you into him within seconds and he’s able to do that with his body language. Then when it comes to dialogue he isn’t much of a talker but he shows who he is through his actions as for instance when he sees his gang he won’t speak all he sees is conflict and will use his fists to conclude arguments instead of using words which also though gets him into a huge amount of trouble with that mindset he uses. As Tom Hardy’s character tries to get him to think twice before acting as the way he goes about solving issues could get him killed if not carful. Butler’s character is very socially poor in his ability to understand that there is a life outside of this gang he’s joined. Whenever Butler speaks you can feel the terror in his eyes that his wife is going to tell him to quit the gang and even when she brings it up to him eventually it’s the only time we hear him raise  his voice as that’s the only thing that to him is off limits that he won’t give up. He may get injured or stabbed or whatever to him that’s something he would rather have happen to him before leaving the family he’s joined and to a extent that’s scary as it shows he’s willing to have his life taken from him before leaving that group of people he’s know as his loyalty is unwavering but he knows nothing else though and in his eyes some girl is not going to let him throw that all away for him. Austin is able to portray this man who would rather die wearing his gangs colours then give up the life and that stubbornness and macho persona he puts on is brilliantly shown in such subtle ways. He can show his tender heart at times through his  eyes but also bring that tough quality out at a moments notice and he can alternate that like a switch. He’s able to bring this old school tough guy aspect that shows he just bogs down his feeling snd never acknowledges them as he thinks it’s a sign of weakness but at the same time their are things that get to his heart it just takes a lot. Butler is tough but also sensitive around his girl that’s the only thing that lets him open up and Hardy’s character but that’s about it those people are the only ones he’s not as guarded around and Butler works through that emotional hardness in such a amazing way you can see he wants to feel so much and express that but being put with the expectation of being a traditional man’s man has been so engrained in his head theirs no changing it or it’s very hard to. Butler is amazing in the showing that gated emotional aspect but also the vulnerability that’s trying to peak out from that hardened mindset he’s built over time it’s a truly outstanding performance from Austin Butler. 

Tom Hardy : Hardy gives the performance of his career in this film! Now I’ve been saying for years that Tom Hardy is one of the most under-appreciated actors working today because it’s true. Whatever he’s in time and time again he always gives it his all I still think his performance in Loke should have gotten him an Oscar nomination. Now I’ve watched a fair share of his body of work over many years and I can confidently say this is as of right now the finest work of his career. He portrays this Brando like role as the leader of this biker gang and he makes his presence known in the most genius ways. He’s able to show the power of authority without Raising his voice or lashing out himself in violence to get a point across he uses his words and not his fists to solve issues. As whenever their is a question people have they’ll whisper it in his ear as it’s personal or just so no one else hears and he’ll talk to you with respect and in a kind manner but stern at times to make sure his words are respected and heard. As whenever people wanna challenge him he will ask them if they want knives or fists as he’s old school in his approach of dealing with business which he feels is the best way to keep in line and not have things go out of control. As even with Austin’s character their is so much stress he’s under as he is worried that he won’t need his guidance anymore and he’ll go out on his own as he grows more stronger and more independent he sees himself in a place where he may not be needed anymore which breaks his heart inside. As you can see at a moment of trying to save Austin’s life he proposes The idea of making him the head of the club as he knows he wouldn’t be involved in the action and instead making the big decisions so he knows if he was to take it he wouldn’t have to worry about him getting killed. At the same time he also is more attentive and emotionally present as in when someone is disrespectful to him or his crew he takes it to heart and will correct them and at times that generates negative attention to the group but it’s to make a point not to mess with one of their own. Hardy is able to be a mentor/ father figure and also be the voice of reason to Austin while also battling his own insecurities of being pushed out of the thing he created due to the fact of being on the older side and Hardy shows that fear of being alone through his eyes and soft delivery you can see the sadness in his eyes and spoken through his words he lives in each moment of the film what I mean is he isn’t worried about the next scene he’s committing every ounce of himself emotionally to the scene he’s at the moment  currently In. He wraps himself up in each moment and truly shines as this man who’s sure crafted a gang that is a tad violent but he’s a traditionalist in the way he carries things out through business but also his personal life. Hardy is a tour de force giving what I think is the best work of his career it’s anything unlike he’s ever done he shows such a humanity and tender side to this very emotionally quite man who has so much going on in his heart. Hardy is truly extraordinary in this film. 

Jeff Nicolas : Nicolas directs this film beautifully! I remember way way back seeing his film Mud and being blown away with his directional style of storytelling. Then he did loving which was a film that also was a great message on love and commitment so I’ve always been keeping up with his work to see what he does next. Now with his work on the Bikeriders he shows the loyalty and brother like bond  that happen in a biker gang which was so interesting to see unfold.  As it’s not a fast paced shoot up film it’s a slower more intimate look at these men’s lives and how it affected them all on a personal level. As he makes the atmosphere the film takes place in a character in itself which I have said many times is one of the best Elements of this film as you can’t help but feel soaked up by its setting. Then he explores the depths of loyalty, romance, old school ethics and really the light and dark aspects of being in a gang and he isn’t showing how cool it is he’s showing it in a very real way. their is no glitz and glam aspect of living a life like this and taking it from the point of view of a woman who found one of its members hot or attractive and having no idea what she just got herself swept up into is such a good way into this story. Jeff is able to capture the tense feeling of the girlfriend’s anxiety of never knowing what could happen when he walks out the door is shown in such a honest way as she just wants to be loved she didn’t sign up for all the violence that came with it but from his point of view she knew what she was getting herself into the moment she met him so he has very little remorse for her anxiety. It’s so well told and the performances he gets from the whole cast Feels so natural and emotionally powerful. Jeff Nicolas chronicles the life and time of this story in such a captivating way that is both greatly directed and masterfully written.