The Bikeriders Review
The Bikeriders
is a captivating and intriguing study of club culture, and how things change over time. Taking place over the course of a decade, a Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals, evolves from a gathering place for local outsiders to a sinister gang. When the young members come in, they turn things upside down, threatening the older members’ way of life. Based on a book by the same name by Danny Lyon, the events are taken from real life.

The entire cast of The Bikeriders deliver incredible performances. Austin Butler stars as Benny alongside Jodie Comer, who plays his love interest Kathy. Tom Hardy portrays the founder and leader of the club, Johnny. Mike Faist and Norman Reedus also appear as supporting characters.

While they are all wonderful in their roles, it is Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy who are the standouts of the film. These two are the heart and soul of the movie. Both Kathy and Johnny love Benny. In different ways, but they do. They both want him in their lives and they both want what is best for him. It doesn’t take long for Kathy to wish Benny would grow up and leave riding behind.

Over time the club is losing members. They are being killed in accidents or beat up by rival clubs. Johnny truly does not want to be in the club without Benny. He admires him for his ability to not have a care in the world. The relationship between Johnny and Kathy is respectful, but it also is strained at times. There is one conversation in particular, toward the end of the film, that is sure to hit many people right in the heartstrings. It is powerful due to the brilliant writing, but emotions are heightened because of the phenomenal performances in the scene.

(L-R): Austin Butler as Benny and Jodie Comer as Kathy in The Bikeriders. Photo: Focus Features

That isn’t to say that Austin Butler isn’t great in the movie, because he is. However, it seems to focus on the people around him, rather than Benny himself. The final scene of the movie is pure perfection, and is sure to stick with the audience for a long while.

The reason The Bikeriders works as well as it does is because of the talented cast. They all deliver some of the best performances of their careers. The movie is styled like a documentary of sorts. Mike Faist plays Danny, a student who follows the Vandals taking photos and recording interviews with them. His plan is to put them into a book, which is what actually happened. During the credits, real photos are displayed.

Knowing that this movie is about a motorcycle club might have viewers worried that it is going to be overly violent or sexual, but it isn’t that at all. Sure, there are violent parts, but it is never excessive or unnecessary. There are times where some will have to look away, but The Bikeriders is not too bloody or gory. It is more about the relationships between these riders, and how their worlds get turned upside down when the new generation comes in and changes things. Something that everyone can relate to.

(L-R): Tom Hardy as Johnny and Austin Butler as Benny in The Bikeriders. Photo: Kyle Kaplan/Focus Features

The Bikeriders is one of those movies that is completely captivating from the start. It is easy to become invested in the people that this story follows. There is humor and lightheartedness at times, but it doesn’t shy away from the reality of club culture, and the unfortunate violence that comes with it at times.

Packed with incredible performances, it is a must see no matter where you lie on the spectrum of knowing motorcycles.

About The Bikeriders: The Bikeriders captures a rebellious time in America when the culture and people were changing. After a chance encounter at a local bar, strong-willed Kathy (Jodie Comer) is inextricably drawn to Benny (Austin Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals led by the enigmatic Johnny (Tom Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.

The Bikeriders comes to theaters on Friday, June 21st.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5           

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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She owns Mama’s Geeky, but also is a freelance writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for more than ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association. Her passion for film, television, video games, and comic books started when she was a little girl and has only continued to grow. 

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