Currently on general release in the UK and the US is the period drama, The Bikeriders. The movie – written and directed by Jeff Nichols – stars Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, and Norman Reedus, and follows the story of a young woman named Kathy and her encounter with a biker club.
In the movie, it’s 1965 and Kathy is drinking at a bar when she meets Benjamin ‘Benny’ Cross. Benny belongs to a biker club known as the Vandals and he takes a shine to Kathy.
After giving Kathy a ride home, Benny sits outside her house all night so he can see her the next day. Five weeks later they marry.
Years on, after various ups and downs, Kathy is interviewed about the club. She recounts details about her time with Benny, and tells stories about the other bikers including club leader, Johnny.
Set between 1965 and 1973, and told largely from the perspective of Jodie Comer’s character, Kathy, The Bikeriders is a nostalgia-filled drama about bikes and bikers. Inspired by the photo-book of the same name by Danny Lyon, the film serves up a snapshot of the past which is built around a mix of riding and reminiscing.
And as the movie straddles both the ‘60s and the ‘70s, it is filled with plenty of nods to the era, including the fashion, hairstyles, and music. There isn’t a great deal of story, it’s more of an ongoing conversational piece with dashes of drama, occasional moments of violence, and a focus on characterisation.
If this sort of thing revs your engine then I expect you’ll find it to be very enjoyable stuff. Essentially The Bikeriders is one of those films which is more about the journey than it is about the destination and I suggest you take it for what it is.
As for everyone else, The Bikeriders is perfectly fine. Fairly uneventful, but well put together, it may not push the envelope but it is solid.
In essence it is exactly what you expect it to be. It’s a ‘60s/‘70s-era biker movie, with all the trials and tribulations that come along with it.
The cast is good, with Comer particularly strong as Kathy, and Butler looks effortlessly dreamy as Benny. Throw in Hardy being well, Hardy, and it’s not bad all round.
Ultimately, you have to ask yourself the question, is The Bikeriders the type of film I want to watch? If the answer is yes, then dive in and enjoy.
If the answer is no, that’s fine, simply move along. This isn’t for you, other movies are available.
My understanding is The Bikeriders won’t be staying exclusive to cinemas for long, and will be hitting video on demand platforms shortly. Personally I feel this (or streaming) is where it should have been all along, and I expect it’ll find its audience accordingly.
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