David Mackenzie’s film Hell or High Water is, by turns, exciting, ambiguous and downbeat. Transcending the simplicity of its cops and robbers setup, this tale of last resorts, capitalist injustice and moral grey areas leaves you constantly unsure whom to root for – if you’re even supposed to root for anyone in it at all.
Brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) are pushed to their limit by the death of their mother and the imminent bank foreclosure on their family ranch. With an oil drilling contract due to start on the land, the bank intends to take ownership, having forced the brothers deep into debt. With no other options available, Toby and Tanner take to bank robbery. But the rewards are modest (in bank robbery terms) so they need to hit multiple branches to raise the necessary funds to save the ranch. And two Texas rangers, Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and Alberto (Gil Birmingham), are in pursuit, following the brothers in the wake of each robbery, trying to anticipate where the next will occur.
