Jeff Nichols based "The Bikeriders," his new film about a motorcycle club in the 1960s, on a photo book of the same name by Danny Lyon. The book may not have provided much in the way of a story, but the visual inspiration couldn't be clearer, and it's striking. There's an instant sense of fidelity in the images, which occasionally recreate the portraits of motorcyclists, their wives and girlfriends, and other everyday people in their orbit. "The Bikeriders" differs from other films' evocations of the era because it's so much more raw and unvarnished, less interested in capturing the look of films of the time, and more interested in capturing the people as they were.
The Vandals Motorcycle Club is initially a group of Chicago bikers, led by Johnny (Tom Hardy) and Benny (Austin Butler). We follow them through eight years of ups and downs, until younger, more violent newcomers take over the club, and a series of deaths spell the end of their era. Despite all the significant members of the club being male, the story is framed from the POV of Benny's wife Kathy (Jodie Comer), who relays the club's history to Lyon (Mike Faist) through a series of interviews. Other members of the extremely talented cast include Boyd Holbrook, Emory Cohen, Beau Knapp, Damon Herriman, and Nichols regular Michael Shannon. Toby Wallace plays "The Kid," a wannabe Vandal who only brings trouble whenever he appears.
"The Bikeriders" romanticizes the experience of being in the Vandals to a degree. There's a night ride sequence toward the beginning of the story that's pure vehicular delight and sonic bliss. However, I appreciate that Nichols puts Kathy front and center, because it creates an outsider's vantage point from which to observe the club's dynamics, and serves as a reminder that the lifestyle comes with a cost. The Vandals are an outlet for its members to blow off their day to day frustrations and to find a community, but they're a tremendously damaged and unstable bunch. Putting aside the risk of motorcycle accidents and being constantly ostracized by the wider community, the club attracts all kinds of the wrong attention.
Even though the talk of being a gang is mostly bluster, maintaining the Vandals' image and keeping everyone in line involves a lot of fighting and ongoing tensions. Johnny only started the group after watching Marlon Brando in "The Wild One," and knows he's not equipped to handle much more than drunken disagreements between friends. From the moment The Kid shows up, taking the Vandals' big talk a little too seriously, Johnny seems to understand that the original club's days are numbered. I haven't seen Tom Hardy in a role this well suited to him in a while, and of course he's fantastic. Of course Johnny builds up this image of being this crazy violent maniac for the sake of the club, while really being a pretty ordinary guy in private. His friendship with Benny is the other major relationship the film explores.
I think Jodie Comer is the film's secret weapon, however. She's working with a very particular accent and a pretty limited character- we learn almost nothing about Kathy except what can be read between the lines about her relationship - but to very good effect. She might grumble, but her love and compassion for the bikers come across loud and clear. She may want Benny out of the Vandals, and gets frustrated about their intrusion into their lives, but she knows each and every member. She understands the value of the club and what it represents. Butler is the film's James Dean type and I wish he had more to do here. However, his screen charisma continues to be impressive in every role I see him in. Toby Wallace, is also definitely one to watch going forward.
I might have skipped "The Bikeriders" if it were made by another director, not having much interest in the subject matter, but I haven't missed a Jeff Nichols film yet, and I don't plan to. With his films, I know that I'll see good performances and great cinematography, and I'll get some solid character drama. I don't think "The Bikeriders" is his best, but it's exactly what I was hoping to see.
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