While Hollywood hasn’t been shy about releasing films portraying banks as the enemy — “The Big Short” and “The Wolf Of Wall Street” come immediately to mind — it is surprising to see such a sentiment housed in what otherwise seems like a fairly straightforward crime thriller. But looks can be deceiving, and “Hell Or High Water” has considerable complexity running under its dusty, sun baked hood.
From director David Mackenzie (“Starred Up“) and featuring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Taylor Sheridan, David Mackenzie, Gil Birmingham, Margaret Bowan and Katy Mixon, the story focuses on two brothers who look to exact some vengeance on the financial institution that foreclosed on the family farm, putting them on the path of touch as nails Sheriff who is ready to ride into retirement with one more notch on his belt. Here’s the official synopsis:
A story about the collision of the Old and New West, two brothers — Toby (Chris Pine), a straight-living, divorced father trying to make a better life for his son; and Tanner (Ben Foster), a short-tempered ex-con with a loose trigger finger — come together to rob branch after branch of the bank that is foreclosing on their family land. The hold-ups are part of a last-ditch scheme to take back a future that powerful forces beyond their control have stolen from under their feet. Vengeance seems to be theirs until they find themselves in the crosshairs of a relentless, foul-mouthed Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) looking for one last triumph on the eve of his retirement. As the brothers plot a final bank heist to complete their plan, a showdown looms at the crossroads where the last honest law man and a pair of brothers with nothing to live for except family collide.
“Hell Or High Water” opens in select theaters on August 12th and nationwide on August 19th.
