Film review: ‘THE BIKERIDERS’, by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

Based on the 1968 book by photojournalist Danny Lyon, Jeff Nichols’ (Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special and Loving) The Bikeriders tracks the fortunes of the fictitious Vandals Motor Cycle Club from the mid-60s to the early 70’s.  The Vandals, who are based on the Outlaws Motorcycle Club with whom Lyon was briefly a member, represent the rough, raucous but free-spirited US motorbike clubs before they took a dark turn toward drugs and other activities in the 70’s when disaffected young men returning from Vietnam joined their ranks.

As well as the Danny Lyon book, Nichols appears to have been inspired by Goodfellas and Sons Of Anarchy as this film echoes both Goodfellas and Sons in style and content.  Here, Austin Butler’s young, rebellious but respected Benny is a kind of Ray Liotta/ Charlie Hunnam analogue while Tom Hardy’s club president, Johnny echoes Paul Sorvino’s gangster boss Paulie from Goodfellas and Rob Pearlman from Sons.  Unfortunately, while this film evokes some comparisons with the Scorsese film and the Shakespearean TV bikie drama, The Bikeriders is nowhere near as compelling as either.

The main problem is the film’s use of a framing device in which Benny’s wife Kathy (Jody Comer) relates events to an interviewer who is presumably meant to represent Lyon.  Kathy isn’t a very interesting character and the inordinate amount of time spent with her fragments the film and deprives it of narrative momentum. It also means we don’t spend enough time with or gain a proper sense of the other characters.

In particular, we don’t learn enough about the person who is supposed to be the film’s focal point, Benny. Butler has scant dialogue and spends most of the film staring wistfully into space with a cigarette in his mouth.  The few occasions where Butler’s allowed to do something more vigorous, he demonstrates what a compelling figure he can be, such as in the confrontation that opens the film which reveals his recklessness, capacity for violence and loyalty to the club.  We gain a little more insight into Tom Hardy’s Johnny but it’s still unclear exactly what sort of person he is.  At times he seems like a sadistic thug at others, a non-descript boss.  The parts of his character seem weirdly inconsistent rather than intriguingly complex.  Also, what should have been a pivotal father/son style relationship between Johnny and Benny has almost no emotional impact.

The supporting players such as Michael Shannon’s brooding biker “Zipco”, Aussie Damon Herriaman’s more thoughtful second in command “Brucie” and Norman Reedus’ furry wild man, “Funny Sunny” offer fleeting moments of interest but their performances are just brief tangents from the main story.

Nichols, however, does a fine job of capturing the mid-60’s aesthetic and in giving the bikers a gritty and realistic appearance.  As images from Lyon’s book over the closing credits show, Nichols has clearly tried to replicate their appearance as closely as possibly; the bikers here don’t look like squeaky clean Hollywood actors in leather. Also, much like Martin Scorsese, Nichols punctuates events with a well-chosen soundtrack.

With its faithful evocation of an era and a few intense scenes, The Bikeriders is at times engrossing but its slow, uneven storyline and excessive emphasis on Kathy means this film never becomes the fascinating drama and cultural document it could have been.

Nick’s rating: ***

Genre: Drama.

Classification: M.

Director(s): Jeff Nichols.

Release date: 4th July 2024.

Running time: 116 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

 

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