The Bikeriders

Nichols focused on Kathy, played by Jodie Comer (The Last Duel, Killing Eve), as the narrator of the film. She’s the wide-eyed gal with the thick Chicago accent who gives details about the leaders of the club and the rest of the boys. Comer actually listened to the interviews and worked with a voice coach to sound like the woman who had a love-at-first-site moment with heartthrob and club newbie, Benny, played by Austin Butler. 

Austin doesn’t have much dialogue in the film, but is a big presence as sidekick for leader Johnny, played by Tom Hardy. Hardy was rumored to want to be the narrator, but Nichols expanded his role as Johnny and left Kathy to tell the club’s activities from the details in her interviews. Nichols even used parts of her interviews verbatim. Hardy’s character, Johnny, was drawn to the role watching Marlon Brando in The Wild Ones and you can see it come through in talk and mannerisms. 

The boys in the club include Zipco, (Michael Shannon) whose been in 6 of Nichols’ films, as the Latvian crazy who wanted to go to Viet Nam but was rejected. There’s Cockroach (Emery Cohen), Brucie (Damon Herriman), Corkie, (Karl Glusman), Cal (Boyd Holbrook), and more. The pack had about 40 in all. Nichols had them riding vintage bikes of the era which he said the actors had to get used to, with no disc brakes and no modern safety features, bells and whistles. When they all ride together, you can feel the vibration of the bikes from that era. It’s an essential part of the sound design and the bikes almost become another character. 

The love between Kathy and Benny is matched by the love and loyalty between Benny and Johnny. Kathy is trying to keep Benny out danger, especially after he gets beat up in a bar for wearing the wrong colors. Johnny’s trying to get Benny to take over running the club. They both realize that the next generation of riders coming up is challenging them to change from a social club to a criminal organization. 

Nichols doesn’t show the racist, hateful side of the real clubs, at that time, but glorifies the male bonding and protection the guys gave each other. Butler becomes a James Dean character who looks pretty, but doesn’t say much. He basically stares at the camera or at his scene partners most of the time. Hardy carries himself as much like Brando as he can. Comer does a good job as the storyteller filling in a lot of the blanks, but a lot of holes are left in the backstory. And Nichols depicts the love story with Benny without any physical contact, not even a kiss. 

An interesting study, but also very intense, frustrating and deliberately slow, without much meaningful dialogue. Comer makes up for it and Nichols creates scenes showing the original Vandals impressive, loudly rumbling en mass down the road. 

Focus Features        1 Hour 56 Minutes            R