It’s often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. And in the case of Jeff Nichol’s latest film, The Bikeriders, a fictional tale of a 1960s motorcycle club of which was inspired by Danny Lyon’s photo-book depicting the lives of real-life club, the Outlaws MC, a series of photos is worth a 2-hour character drama that in both good and lesser ways, is Goodfellas on Harley Davidson’s.
A tale told over almost a decade, taking place in Chicago, The Bikeriders follows the rise of the Vandals MC, a competitive dirt-bike riding crew turned motorcycle gang, led by Johnny (Tom Hardy), a tough but impressionable biker. Alongside the charming, but violently hot-headed Benny (Austin Butler), the two expand the Vandals far beyond what they ever expected, resulting in brutal consequences.
As the Vandals begin to rise, photographer Danny Lyon (Mike Faist) begins to curiously document the club, trying to understand the appeal for those who join, but also the effects being a Vandal has on those around the club. Danny chooses to focus on Benny’s wife, Kathy (Jodie Comer), who offers insight into the mind of Benny, something she’s still trying to figure out during her own self-exploration of why she is in love with the handsome but volatile renegade.
Jeff Nichols’ filmography, which includes fantastic works like Take Shelter and Midnight Special, are always these fascinating character studies that view human behaviour through some extreme circumstances, sometimes even delving into the supernatural.
The essence of Nichols’ character driven narrative style is definitely felt throughout The Bikeriders, but it’s his first film in which the story doesn’t necessarily feel as complete. Rather, this film feels like an experience. The stories being told from Kathy’s recollections to Danny act as the movie’s narrative throughline, whilst all the scenes with the Vandals MC are more so there to give the audience the feeling of being a biker.
That’s where the comparisons to Goodfellas will feel most apparent. What Scorsese’s crime-epic did to give audiences this raw look inside the world of gangsters did in the 90s, The Bikeriders does for bikers in the 60s (even with a freeze frame on Austin Butler in the opening scene to pay homage to the iconic Ray Liotta opening line). It’s a warts and all approach that balances highlights the importance of brotherhood and loyalty within the club, but how the toxic masculinity and volatile nature that’s associated with biker clubs harmfully outweighs the sense of community.
Being a film where the experience of motorcycle club culture is at the forefront, it’s unfortunate that the overall story and characters depicted feel quite shallow. There are moments, usually cutaway context-based scenes or lines of dialogue that somewhat fill in certain gaps about why Johnny wanted to become a biker, or why Benny is prone to violent outbursts, but it never feels explored to the point that the audience can understand the appeal of it all.
At its core, The Bikeriders is somewhat a love story between Kathy and Benny, but also Benny and his bike, and then Benny and Johnny, and Johnny and his club. The exploration of relationships and how the initial appeal of someone based on their charms and looks can dissipate over time as their true light reveals itself, and that’s not just a commentary on the shaky love between Kathy and Benny. The idea of infatuation within the Vandals MC, and the stature that is created within their own circle is also an interesting element of the human behaviours that Nichols’ explores in his screenplay.
The biggest strength of The Bikeriders is the astounding ensemble cast. This is Jodie Comer’s movie through and through. Proving she knows how to showcase a variety of eccentric accents in her role as Villanelle in Killing Eve, Comer’s character Kathy is a force as she explodes on to the screen with a strong mid-Western drawl, wide-eyed, flamboyant personality, which provides the most humanity, and some much needed levity throughout the film. But the showy nature of Kathy never takes away from the conflicting heartbreak she experiences by being the wife of Benny.
Austin Butler and Tom Hardy as dynamic screen presences, which is almost expected from both actors at this point, so it doesn’t necessarily feel like new ground is being tread for them in The Bikeriders. However, their transformative voices and mannerisms that are fantastic representations of the duality of toxic and necessary masculinity is exciting to watch on screen.
The supporting ensemble shows no weak spots as players including Mike Faist, Damon Herriman, Norman Reedus, Michael Shannon and many more, all create that atmospherical experience to the rough and gruff nature of the biker world.
Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders plays like Goodfellas on motorbikes, but lacks some of the narrative and character depth necessary to feel completely enamoured by this world. It’s a solid character drama courtesy of brilliant lead performances from Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and especially Jodie Comer, who create the atmosphere necessary to feel like the audience is part of the Vandals themselves.
The Bikeriders is currently screening at the 71st Sydney Film Festival, and will release in Australian cinemas on July 4, courtesy of Universal Pictures.
