The Bikeriders

Rating 5/10

The Bikeriders was first a 1968 photo book by journalist Danny Lyon depicting the lives of the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club (MC), where he was a full fledged member for two years. That tome is the inspiration for this fictional story. Set mainly in the 1960s, it follows the rise of a Chicago biker gang, here called the Vandals.  Over the span of a decade, the band transforms from a supportive community for local outsiders into a ruthless organized crime syndicate, posing a threat to the founder’s initial vision and lifestyle.

A charismatic cast and moody cinematography by Adam Stone (Take Shelter) highlight a rather bland look at motorcycle culture. The saga details the journey of a strong-willed woman named Kathy (Jodie Comer). She narrates her experiences to photographer Danny Lyon, here portayed by Mike Feist as merely a curious observer. After a chance encounter at a local bar, she is inextricably drawn to Benny (Austin Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle pack, the Vandals, led by the enigmatic Johnny (Tom Hardy). This sinister character unintentionally elicits amusement as much as fear in the audience. The club transforms from a casual gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence.  Benny must now choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the group.

The Bikeriders purports to offer a gritty yet humane perspective of individuals on the outskirts of society. Unfortunately, the chronicle is so hopelessly artificial and skin-deep. The actors often seem like they’re engaging in cosplay. They adopt period accurate costumes and conspicuous accents but only scratch the surface of the characters they’re portraying. Actress Jodie Comer stands out. Her role is afforded significantly more depth, allowing her to deliver a nuanced performance.

The passion that writer and director Jeff Nichols (Mud, Loving) has for this subject is visually apparent. His striking evocation of an era comes through, but the screenplay just isn’t up to snuff. The rest of the cast is hampered by superficially written characters, leaving no choice but to perform them in a shallow manner due to the surface-level script. A hypermasculine culture is displayed in all of its posturing, brawling, and beer-guzzling glory, but where is the complexity? Who are these people? What makes them tick? Actors Michael Shannon and Norman Reedus (in rotted teeth) randomly pop up as shaggy-haired bikers because why not? Only Kathy comes across as a fully formed human being. The rest of the cast acting like they just saw The Wild One and are now playing “let’s dress-up like Marlon Brando.”

Young men in gangs are navigating the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and violence within a gritty urban environment. These themes have been handled in iconic films before. I will acknowledge that the account makes the unconventional choice to tell this tale from a woman’s point of view. Kathy is an outsider looking in. Nevertheless, even from the odd angle, I found myself inevitably comparing it to Mean Streets (1973), The Wanderers (1979), and The Outsiders (1983). The Bikeriders suffers in comparison and even stands poorly on its own. These bike riders should simply ride off into the sunset.

06-17-24