Filmology Rating: 3.33 out of 4

Toby (Chris Pine) is a divorced father who wants to make a better life for his son. His grandparents grew up poor, parents grew up poor, and no he has grown up poor and he is sick of it. Together, he and his brother Tanner (Ben Foster), an ex-convict, plan a series of robberies against the bank that's about to foreclose on their family ranch. Marcus (Jeff Bridges), a Texas Ranger who is a few weeks away from retirement is hot on their trail and wants one final rodeo before he calls it quits.

Hell or High Water is possibly the best movie that I have seen since the end of the Oscars. Now is it the most entertaining and did I enjoy it the most out of other movies? No. What makes this movie so good are all the little things that come together to make it a masterpiece. The two best qualities were by far the writing and the characters/acting but I have to mention a few other things that added up to making this a fantastic film. Its cinematography and way it showed us the landscape really made you feel like you were there in the Texas heat suffering with them and going through their hardships as well. We left the theater really talking and admiring how well they portrayed the setting. Thank you director David Mackenzie for truly bringing this story to life.

The writing was fantastic. This movie was written by Taylor Sheridan who brought us Sicario which I had very mixed feelings about. I thought that it was one of the best movies of the year which I just did not find too enjoyable for a few reasons BUT the writing and the technical aspects of Sicario were fantastic. This movie is no different. Hell or High Water had a very engaging and interesting story with fantastic characters. The dialogue was very believable and felt real (sometimes hard to understand due to either accents or the strong Texas drawl). This felt so real because this is a reality that a lot of people have faced and are facing in today’s economy. You truly feel for these brothers who have gone through a very rough time so you can see and understand their intentions.

Now this is the best part of Hell or High Water for me and that is the characters. Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, and Gil Birmingham were all fantastic. This is the story of two sets of people; one being the brothers and two being the Rangers hot on their trail. Throughout the film, two great chemistries and bonds are formed that were fun to watch. The brothers acted like brothers and the partners messed around and gave each other a hard time but you knew they cared about one another. You truly do root for both sides; the outlaws and the Rangers. So as the movie builds and comes to the climax, you really don't know who to root for. The audience is just watching and truly engaged (at least I was and my family was).

I will have to say that Hell or High Water won’t be for everyone. If you go to this movie, expect it to be a little slower at times. These slow moments only build upon the story and the characters however. Go to this movie to admire a truly great film in all its glory.

-Nick