Welcome to Cinema Conversations, a unique series where multiple writers from SAW collaborate to discuss films in a refreshing format that goes beyond traditional reviews. In this series, we pose specific questions about the movie and present answers from each writer’s perspective, all without the influence of discussion. We aim to spotlight the film and offer an honest, thoughtful analysis, cutting through the fluff often found in conventional reviews. Join us as we delve into our latest cinematic exploration, bringing diverse insights and nuanced commentary to the forefront.
The Bikeriders (2024)
Directed by: Jeff Nichols
Stars: Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy, and Austin Butler
At a local bar in the late 1960s, Kathy Bauer falls for Benny, the newest recruit of the Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals, led by the enigmatic Johnny Davis. As the country evolves, the club shifts from a haven for local outcasts into a world of violence, forcing Benny (and Johnny) to choose between his marriage to Kathy and his loyalty to the club.
*SPOILERS BELOW*
What were your expectations for this film, and were you excited to see it?
Dhalbaby:
This was my most anticipated movie of the year, because it was one of the only movies due out this year that wasn’t a prequel, sequel, rebootquel, or some other recycled IP crapola. So, yeah, I was excited to see it. But that’s a lot of pressure to put on one movie, and I went into it thinking it would probably not live up to my expectations.
Kane:
Just hearing about this movie hooked me. The premise, the director, and starring Tom Hardy were all I needed for it to already have my money. Once I learned Austin Butler was attached and I saw the first teaser my expectations went through the roof. This felt like a film that we don’t get enough of nowadays (low budget, simple, men being men) and I was eager for it to be just that.
Did the movie meet those expectations or was there a different outcome?
Dhalbaby:
I actually ended up liking it more than I thought. I saw a few early negative reactions to the movie (something I usually don’t seek out), and those had me doubting whether I would love it. And while The Bikeriders is not quite the movie I thought it was going to be (based on the marketing), I actually think this is my favorite Nichols movie to date.
Kane:
It definitely met my expectations and then some. Hardy was cool and badass but added more layers to his character like he usually does. Butler was sexy as hell whose comparisons to James Dean are justified here. I expected an old-fashioned man movie that felt like it was from the 70s and 80s and I got that. Cool motorcycles, slick leather jackets, and guys being fucking guys without some unnecessary commentary on toxic masculinity. I also expected a banging soundtrack and man did it deliver. Some fantastic needle drops from The Animals, Aaron Neville, Cream, and Bo Diddley just to name a few.
What aspect (acting, cinematography, direction, art design, story, etc) of The Bikeriders stood out to you the most? Why?
Dhalbaby:
I think The Bikeriders will reward repeat viewings, because of the way it is structured, but also because I think there’s a lot to dig into with these characters and their relationships with each other. There’s a lot going on on-screen, and the story is deceptively simple and straightforward, but the more I thought about it after, the more I started to realize that there are different ways to frame certain scenes and character motivations. Once you’ve seen it all the way through, it starts to take on a different shape. So it’s hard to attribute that to one aspect. It’s direction, because it’s obvious Nichols knew what he was after, but it’s also acting because the actors had to realize the director’s intentions.
For instance, Nichols told a story about how Michael Shannon didn’t think his monologue about being turned down for Vietnam was funny, though Nichols wrote it as a humorous scene. Nichols said that Shannon dug something out of that scene that was much heavier and impactful than he intended, and it really changed the tone of that scene and added a whole other dimension to a character that doesn’t have a lot of screen time.
But it’s also editing and screenwriting too. Because of the way the movie is constructed, as you watch, the meaning behind what is happening on screen continues to change shape as it builds back upon itself. It’s a bit disorienting that first go-round, but it all comes together at the end.
Kane:
I think it is a combination of the acting and directing. The lack of plot, which we will discuss in the next question, helps the actors not only feel real but gives them the ability to fully live in their characters. This points to a director who is allowing and conducting this to happen. In an age of green screens and CGI acting, this movie feels so genuine it sticks among the muck of most movies.
At a Q&A for a screening, Nichols joked that there’s not much plot to the film. Do you think that hurt the film or did it work for you? Why do you think so?
Dhalbaby:
There’s a lot of tension that gets built up throughout The Bikeriders, and I think the extent to which that tension pays off will differ from person to person. And I think that is probably one of the challenges movies like this have with general audiences. There’s been a lot of talk about subverting audience expectations over the last decade or so, and because we’ve all seen movies like this, we have an expectation that some things will pay off a certain way. But The Bikeriders isn’t really that movie. Nichols even said that his movie ends where other movies would begin. It’s like a prequel of sorts, he said.
In that way, I think The Bikeriders will frustrate some moviegoers or leave them feeling less than satisfied with the climax. Some will want Butler’s Benny to go on a revenge streak, to see his pent-up emotion released in a catharsis of violence and blood, but that’s not what The Bikeriders is. And I’m ok with that. Especially since, unlike other hack writers who talk about subverting expectations, I know that’s not what Nichols’ motivation was here. It’s simply the story he unearthed and decided needed telling.
Kane:
It totally worked for me. It’s a journey about people and when that’s done well in all areas of the film, you get an effective movie. A true plot just gets in the way of this type of story. If the characters are written well and the actors are able to convey their personal journey arc, then just sit back and enjoy the ride. I feel that movies with little to no plot allow the filmmakers to focus more on the atmosphere and the mood needed while being able to dive into authenticity and realism. These characters felt like real guys with real lives and struggles who bonded over motorcycles to form a brotherhood. In most movies, I’m constantly thinking “These aren’t real people or real situations.”
Do you think movies like The Bikeriders have a future at the cinema? Why or why not?
Dhalbaby:
The short answer is I hope they do. I am not particularly good at interpreting box office results, but as I understand it, The Bikeriders has a decent shot at making money. Last year Oppenheimer made buckets of cash, and although that movie didn’t do much for me, it gave me hope that audiences are open to movies with a bit more to them than special effects and guys in tights. And that’s not to shit on genre movies; genre movies are my favorite. I just want them to be better.
I don’t know how you replicate Oppenheimer’s box office results, though. There are still good movies being made, but I can’t figure out why some succeed and some fall into obscurity. I would say marketing has a lot to do with it, but #Barbenheimer wasn’t a planned marketing stunt. That was viral. And you can’t really replicate that. I do think a movie’s success has a lot to do with word of mouth, but, again, I don’t know how that can be achieved in a way that isn’t organic, and so that sort of leaves the fate of movies like this to chance. And this could all be a moot point anyway if overall attendance continues to decline.
Kane:
I would take 30 movies a year similar to The Bikeriders over the sequels, remakes, reboots, MCUs, etc. that we have been bombarded with over the past 15 years. More low-budget, simple films with a star or two and multiple role players that don’t look like the generic chiseled models that are cast in everything nowadays. Before streaming, this was a perfect matinee film but unfortunately, it may be too late for these types of movies. People would rather wait for this to go to streaming and pay to watch the big-budget movies. I feel like these movies have been choked out. Some just don’t want to take a chance on a movie like this at the theater because of cost and time. To them, it’s just easier to wait for it to go to streaming where the investment seems lower. I don’t fault them for this because that’s their choice. Sadly, those are the same people who complain about there not being enough original or non-big-budget studio movies anymore.
This was an old-school masculine movie but it also felt like it had deeper layers, did you sense any of that and is there an example or two you could give?
Dhalbaby:
Absolutely. And for me, the way masculinity is handled in The Bikeriders is similar to the way it is treated in First Blood, a movie that I think is sorely underrated. The Rambo movies are remembered for the over-the-top violence and action, but that first movie is so much more than that. The first side of Rambo that we see is not the trained killer but a sensitive man, a man who misses his friends, a man who is lonely and hurting and desperately trying to find something that reminds him that he is human and not just a tool of destruction.
The male characters in The Bikeriders aren’t particularly good at expressing themselves or showing emotion, but, like Rambo, they do think and they do feel. And the movie does a great job of depicting that without hitting you over the head with some modern social message.
There are probably a half dozen examples I could give from the film (at least), but the one that stuck out to me the most, that probably summed up masculinity best, was the scene at the picnic where Tom Hardy’s character Johnny and the other guys are squaring off with another club, but it looks like Johnny has found a way to diffuse the situation. In comes Austin Butler’s Benny swinging and instigates a huge brawl. Cut to the next scene, and the two rival clubs are sitting around shooting the shit and sharing beers as if they have always been friends. It’s not bad or good, it’s just how male relationships often work, and this scene does a great job of showing that.
Kane:
There is a lot to unpack here and as I have said a few times, this is a movie about men being men but it’s so much more. There is a brotherhood here where it’s just guys being guys talking about motorcycles, women, sports, etc. They are tough, indestructible, lady killers. However, when Nichols focuses on each one, we see a piece of each one being broken in some way with the gang helping each one feel whole. Again, brotherhood. Brucie is rejected by his parents, Cockroach needs attention (why he eats bugs), Zipco struggles with not being good enough to join the military, Benny just wants to live untamed and Johnny is scared of what the gang has become but can’t show it. There’s more subtext here where I am already looking forward to rewatches because I was only able to get hints of it upon my first watch.
One of my favorite scenes is a fight where Hardy’s character has been challenged for control of the group by a larger man. Johnny accepts the challenge and the fight is fairly even with Johnny barely being the victor. In different hands, Johnny would be a badass who squashed his opponent and established dominance. Tom Hardy plays it with the subtlety of being hurt and scared but not wanting to show that in front of his brothers. That hits so hard as a man and a father. You can’t look weak because the wolves will begin to circle. People would begin to doubt his leadership. He is the protector and provider of both his families. He doesn’t accept the challenge to prove he’s the king badass but to make sure he is the one who dictates how his family and loved ones are taken care of by making the decisions he deems just. This isn’t some toxic masculinity nonsense. (A term I loathe because it’s not a real thing. There is just toxic people. Period.) We see this play out with Hardy’s character throughout the rest of the film.
Who stole/won the movie for you? (actor or director)
Dhalbaby:
I’m gonna have to say Tom Hardy. His character is not what he seems at first. But what he is, had to be really hard to depict. It had to be hard to write, but without the actor to pull it off, I don’t think the movie works. And this is something that gets clearer after the credits roll. It’s a brilliant performance.
But I want to mention something here, because one thing I was not at all sure about going into this movie was Jodie Comer’s performance. To me, in the trailers, it seemed like a parody. Like Mike Ditka was gonna show up at some point and the two of them were gonna yuck it up about “Da bears!” And I have seen this criticism in various parts of the web, and I have to say that it is kind of a shame. Nichols played a clip from his phone of the actual Kathy talking, and Comer is a dead ringer. Everything about the accent is right. And according to Nichols and producer Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Comer put a ton of effort into getting it right, even going so far as to break her lines down phonetically. She brings some welcome levity to the film, but her performance isn’t a parody, and it’s just kind of a bummer that that is a criticism of the film that will prevail regardless of the truth.
Kane:
Shockingly, it was Jodie Comer for me. She burst on the scene as one of the first characters we meet and she carries the entire movie. She’s adorable, strong, chatty, and vulnerable all at the same time. This is a prime example of how you write and how you perform a strong female lead. She stood toe to toe with Butler and Hardy by being headstrong but not in an insufferable way. I’m not one of those who complains too much about accents as long as they aren’t annoying or grating. Accuracy doesn’t really matter to me and her Chicago accent here just makes her more adorable and real. I have given up on Hollywood’s idea of awards, but I can confidently say Comer will have one of the best performances of the year by the end of 2024.
Benny has left and has not been heard from for some time, Johnny has been challenged for control of the gang by a young kid and Johnny stops by Kathy’s house before the fight to see if Johnny is there, what do you think Johnny was going to ask or say to Benny?
Dhalbaby:
I think Benny represents everything Johnny fantasizes about being. Fearless. Unflinching. Detached. But he’s not those things. Like Benny tells him, Johnny is a real adult. With a job, a house, and a family. In this scene, Johnny needs help. He needs to draw strength and confidence from somewhere. And I think he thinks seeing Johnny will give him the courage to do what he thinks he must do.
Kane:
I felt like Johnny was going to ask him to step in for him. Johnny had been asking Benny to take over the club for a while because Johnny was scared and he didn’t want to be the man anymore because he had a wife and family. He actually had something to lose and knew a day was coming soon he wouldn’t win a challenge. The scene before shows a hesitation as he leaves the house saying goodbye to his wife and she asks him to bring home some eggs. Hardy plays this as if he knew he wouldn’t be returning. Asking Benny to fill in for him would save his life. I believe Johnny loved Benny but he saw him as the version of himself without being a mature adult with a family and things to lose. I feel Johnny was willing to sacrifice Benny here which sheds a new light on the entire movie and Johnny’s intentions from the previous times he asked Benny to take over for him.
What, if anything, stayed with you after the movie ended? And why?
Dhalbaby:
One scene stayed with me, and I’m still thinking about it. And that was the scene between Johnny and his wife before he leaves to face the kid that has challenged him for control of the club. Johnny pauses at the door to tell his wife goodbye. She takes her eyes off the TV long enough to ask him to get eggs while he’s out, but he lingers. You can tell he wants to say more. Maybe he wants to tell her he loves her or what she means to him. Maybe he wants to tell her where he’s going so she will talk him out of it. Maybe it’s all of those things. It’s a tragic scene, because you know he’s afraid. And you know he won’t walk away. Because to do so would be an admission that he’s none of the things he’s been pretending to be.
Kane:
Michael Shannon is one of my favorite actors and his character has a quirkiness to him that only Shannon can provide. He gave a speech that seemed humorous that I didn’t give too much attention to in the moment but it continued to gnaw at me after I left the theater. He talks about wanting to join the Vietnam War and passing all the tests but being passed over due to his psychological profile. He talks about leaving and crying. It was a vulnerable moment amongst brothers that most men wouldn’t share. It’s this monologue that has made me revisit the entire movie in my head for the past few days and helped me come to some of the conclusions in most of my answers.
What did you think of The Bikeriders? Do you have a different perspective on the questions asked above?
