The Bikeriders

Director: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Karl Glusman, Toby Wallace, Norman Reedus, Will Oldham
Running Time: 116 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)  

If it's hard enough adapting any non-fiction book into a feature film, one consisting entirely of black-and-white photos and transcribed interviews might seem impossible. But writer/director Jeff Nichols seems to have figured it out with The Bikeriders, a historical crime drama based on journalist Danny Lyon's mid-sixties stint as a member of the infamous Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club.

While going the documentary route may have been more expected, Nichols finds a different avenue to explore the humanity beneath this chaos, narratively dissecting the impact of a rebellious subculture that helped define an era that eventually passes them by. It really feels like the last gasp for these outlaws, evoking nostalgia for a period many watching never experienced, but probably wished they had.

In 1965, photojournalist Lyon (Mike Faist) interviews Kathy (Jodie Comer) about her time with the Chicago-based Vandals Motorcyle Club, which founder Johnny (Tom Hardy) was inspired to create after watching Marlon Brando in The Wild Ones. She recounts feeling out of place among a gang of rough and tumble riders at the Vandals' bar, until meeting the brooding, hotheaded Benny (Austin Butler). Immediately attracted to his cool, distant aura, he takes Kathy home on the back of his bike, camping across the street until her angry boyfriend moves out in a huff.

Benny and Kathy begin living together as she gets to know the rest of the club, consisting of reliable Brucie (Damon Herriman), mechanically inclined Cal (Boyd Holbrook), volatile Zipco (Michael Shannon) and bug eater Cockroach (Emory Cohen). But with Vandals chapters soon popping up all over the Midwest, Johnny's had enough, approaching a disinterested Benny to take over leadership duties. Unfortunately, it may be too late, as a new challenger emerges and angry, disaffected youths reeling from the scars of Vietnam come home. With change on the horizon, there's a good chance America's original generation of bikers will be left in the dust. 

Kathy is initially the film's entry point, but it isn't long before this whole interview format takes a backseat to the personal drama surrounding these bikers. It's actually a bit perplexing why the character of Lyon is incorporated to begin with since there's no noticeable on screen attempt to absorb him into the club like the journalist was in reality. Occasionally, Nichols cuts to him questioning Kathy in a biker vest, but that's about the extent of Mike Faist's role. It's a bit off putting at first, but once you're absorbed in the story, this inconsistent framing device isn't given a second thought.

The accuracy of regional accents will always cause debate but Comer really commits to her memorable Midwestern twang. Having no idea how realistic it is or isn't, there's no denying it adds an air of down home folksiness to a character who's supposed to be out of her element in this grungy atmosphere. But as much as the film attempts to put Kathy at its center, Butler owns the screen from the moment he appears in a performance not entirely dissimilar from his Oscar nominated Elvis turn, with a little James Dean mixed in. 

Butler's approach should seem overdone or cliche, but he's just too good to deny, capturing the essence of this introverted, self destructive loner capable of flying off the handle on a whim. He hints there's more bubbling beneath the surface, even as Kathy tries to figure out exactly what. Correctly surmising Benny needs to get out of this club before he gets himself killed, he'll do whatever he wants, even as we question whether that really will solve his anger issues. There's an equally strong chance his association with the Vandals might be the only thing left keeping him sane.  

Tom Hardy is the Brando to Butler's Dean, basically attempting a full-on impersonation of the iconic actor, which he pulls off pretty well, intimidatingly throwing his weight around to maintain some degree of law and order. But between a family and an actual 9-to-5 job, he's getting exasperated as his grip starts to slip. Even when they're not seeking it out first, violence has a way of finding them, but Hardy strikes the right balance between thuggish brute and fair, loyal leader with a heart.

The best scenes involve the Vandals picking fights, pulling pranks, riding through towns and sometimes just sitting around smoking and telling stories, as this loaded cast of recognizable faces distinguish their characters with unmistakably unique personalities. A subplot involving a group of youths led by a knife-wielding delinquent credited as "The Kid" (Toby Wallace) and the arrival of California hippie biker Funny Sonny (Norman Reedus) give the film an extra jolt as it barrels toward the finish line.

There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about The Bikeriders, but it is a well acted, impeccably shot adult drama that fills a needed niche by striving for authenticity. More Hunter Thompson than Cameron Crowe, it finds its voice through the relationships, camaraderie and turmoil among this ragtag gang of outcasts relegated to the fringes. They play by their own rules, until the real world intrudes. But like so many other touchstones, it's fun while it lasts, leaving a cultural footprint that doesn't easily fade.             

Challengers

Director: Luca Guadignino
Starring: Zendaya, Josh O' Connor, Mike Faist, Darnell Appling, Shane Harris, Nada Despotovich, AJ Lister
Running Time: 131 min.
Rating: R

**The Following Review Contains Plot Spoilers For 'Challengers' **

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

Luca Guadignino's romantic sports drama Challengers almost has no business being as good as it is, exploring an extremely complicated relationship between three characters that spans over a decade. They fail, succeed, grow and emotionally tear each other to shreds while its non-linear structure serves as a window into their conflicting personalities. And if the use of multiple timelines often come across as narrative gimmicks in lesser instances, this really gets it right, enhancing the story through multiple eras. 

Highlighted by Guadignino's eye-opening directorial flourishes and gripping performances, it also benefits from playwright Justin Kuritzkes' incisive screenplay which along with a thumping, propulsive score from Trent Rezor and Atticus Ross give these proceedings the urgency of a high stakes thriller. With actual tennis scenes that easily eclipse 2005's embarrassing Wimbledon and the mediocre Battle of the Sexes, its action compares more favorably with King Richard. But the real difference comes off court, where this takes a less conventional approach than each, raising the sport's spotty record on screen. By bothering to get into the headspace of these athletes, we get a funny, wildly entertaining ride full of surprising twists that only enhance the love triangle at its center.  

It's 2019 and pro Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) comprises one half of a famous tennis power couple with wife and coach Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a former collegiate standout forced to retire after suffering a knee injury while playing for Stanford. Now with Art a U.S. Open title away from completing his career Grand Slam, he's in a slump, with multiple losses chipping away at his confidence. Thinking Art still has a last run left, Tashi enters her husband as a wild card in a lower level ATP Challenger event in New Rochelle, New York, hoping some wins can return him to top form.

On the other side of the draw is Art's former best friend and junior doubles partner Patrick Zweig (Josh O' Connor), who's barely scraping by on tournament earnings, his pro career marked by disappointment and an inability to move past Art marrying ex-girlfriend Tashi, ending their longtime friendship. With Art having never beaten Patrick, they'll now face off again in the finals with Tashi in the stands, and much more riding on the outcome than just pride and prize money.

When we're first introduced to Tashi and Art, it isn't immediately apparent that the scruffy nobody standing across the net will be his toughest opponent, if only due to their complicated personal history. What appears to be just another match in the opening minutes will start to take on an increased importance, as Guadignino utilizes the dual timelines to constantly inform the trajectories of these three intrinsically linked characters. 

As the disheveled Patrick, O' Connor definitely makes an entrance, begging to stay free at a local motel, sleeping in his car overnight in the club's lot and mooching food off a tournament official. There's a lot of humor in these scenes, mainly because it feels like an authentic, unflattering portrayal of what the bottom of the barrel looks like for a struggling pro, each loss further paving his path to obscurity. And of the three, O' Connor is the most believable player, investing the sometimes explosively tempered Patrick with realistically weird quirks, like his character's unorthodox serve.     

To understand how these former friends got here the film flashes back to 2006 when the newly crowned U.S. Open junior doubles champions become infatuated with up-and-coming prodigy Tashi, who definitely knows it. We're not sure exactly what she's planning when agreeing to stop by their room after a sponsorship event, but a sultry, magnetic Zendaya turns on the sarcastic charm and takes over in these flashback scenes. Tashi slyly pits the two against each other, wrapping them around her finger as things get steamy. But it's more noteworthy for the power dynamic that emerges when she proposes Art and Patrick have a match to earn her number. 

Faist and O' Connor do an exceptional job subtly conveying their characters' distinctive personalities, with the quieter, less experienced Art seeming miles removed from a far less motivated Patrick, the rebellious bad boy used to getting what he wants. They don't necessarily change or worsen when Tashi enters the picture, nor do our opinions budge that they're fairly good guys, but she knows all the buttons, to push, bringing their weakest qualities and biggest insecurities to the surface. 

When Tashi's playing future is wiped out, the first obvious signs of jealousy emerge between friends, forcing us to contemplate the possibility she desperately needs to be with a winner to feel complete, whomever that is at the moment. Patrick's unwillingness to become a "Duncanator" fan club member and his casual dismissal of their relationship turns her off, but him failing as a pro is the bridge too far. 

While Art worships the ground Tashi walks on and takes his feelings for her more seriously, that may  not be a plus. Hardly the white knight, Art's more than willing to stir the pot, planting seeds of doubt in Tashi's mind about his friend's intentions. But we know better, as she and Patrick couldn't be more similar, constantly putting up barriers to hide just how much they really do care, investing nearly all their emotional energy into pretending not to give a damn. 

Despite the extensive training she received by tennis great Brad Gilbert, Zendaya still has to overcome audiences preconceptions enough that they buy her as a top player and coach on screen. It's something fellow Spider-Man alumnae Kisten Dunst and Emma Stone know all about, having both tackled a similar task in their tennis-centric films. But with better editing, direction and material that emphasizes Zendaya's strengths as a performer, most of her rougher patches are smoothed over. 

Ironically enough, Zendaya's best tennis scene is her last, while when Tashi's practicing with Art following her injury, she demands he not hold back, only to painfully realize it's over. She's done. And it's here where the actress seems to fire on all cylinders with the groundstrokes, racquet throw and subsequent tantrum. Yet none of this matters nearly as much as how well she rides the ups and downs of her character's shifting loyalties over the course of thirteen years. 

The brief shot of Tashi sitting under a tree contemplating the enormity of what's happened feels like the film's defining shot, not to mention an inflection point for all three. With Patrick out of the picture, Tashi pours everything she has into Art's career, living vicariously through his accomplishments. More wrenches are thrown into the equation before returning to the pivotal 2019 final. For Art, a loss means not just the end of a career, but possibly his marriage. And for Patrick, this may as well be his last chance at anything.

Filled with slo-mo, crazy POV camera shots from the perspective of the competitors, ball, and even underneath the court, the match hinges on a huge call-back, with Guadignino completely pulling the rug out with a Whiplash-like resolution. He directs the hell out of it, even if many will be thrown by his loose interpretation of the sport's rules, and maybe even the laws of physics itself. But that's the strictly literal reading of a scenario where all three characters are reunited by the addictive thrill of competition that first brought them together. 

The film's hook is how its backstory fills in the blanks, leading us back to where we began, only with more on the line than initially expected. Smart and stylishly made, some might consider Challengers' unpredictable outcome controversial, but it sure has a lot to say about the games people play with each other, both on and off the court.                           

West Side Story (2021)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Rita Moreno, Brian d'Arcy James, Corey Stoll, Josh Andrés Rivera, Iris Menas
Running Time: 156 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★) 

When it was announced Steven Spielberg would be directing an updated version of Bernstein and Robbins' classic 1957 musical, West Side Story, the news wasn't met with unanimous enthusiasm. It seemed to take years for this project to get off the ground before spending even more time in post-production due to the pandemic before barely making a ripple in theaters. Older fans of the 1961 film seemed offended he'd be reimagining one of the more respected Best Picture winners while younger audiences couldn't have cared less about any of it and stayed away.

Whether you're all that interested in seeing this particular story falls less on Spielberg and writer Tony Kushner than the source material, to which they're slavishly faithful, sharpening up the edges with  updated choreography, strong performances and a vibrant presentation. Musical fans will love it, as it's an impeccably made, if occasionally uneven interpretation, that accomplishes what's needed. And despite finding myself checking out at points, wishing some of the more monotonous numbers had been cut, it's easy to see why they weren't, especially given how closely it's being watched for retaining the integrity of the stage and film versions. Both traditional and aggressively modern all at once, this does get the most important detail right, satisfyingly delivering on its revisionist Romeo and Juliet-inspired love story.

It's 1957 and a gang of white youths called the Jets are feuding with the Puerto Rican Sharks for control of Manhattan's San Juan Hill neighborhood on the West Side, which is about to be demolished to make way for construction on Lincoln Center. Ignoring reprimands from Officer Krupke (Brian d'Arcy James) and Lieutenant Schrank (Corey Stoll) about the pointlessness of continuing this war, both Jets leader Riff (Mike Faist) and Shark leader Bernardo (David Alvarez) refuse to back down, with each staking claim on their territory, making it a matter of pride that can only be settled with violence.

After the gauntlet is laid down for a rumble to determine gang supremacy, Riff tries to recruit paroled best friend and ex-Jet, Tony (Ansel Elgort) back into the fold, who's been trying to turn his life around while working for Valentina (Rita Moreno) at Doc's General Store. But when Bernardo's sister, Maria (Rachel Zegler) and Tony spot each another at a local dance, it's love at first sight, only intensifying her brother's desire to destroy the Jets. 

With Maria already betrothed to Bernardo's best friend Chino (Josh Andrés Rivera), the optimistic, free spirited Anita (Ariana DeBose) is torn between her loyalty to boyfriend Bernardo and Maria, who's become like a sister to her. All of this comes to a dangerous head, with Tony and Maria caught in the middle, risking that this forbidden relationship is strong enough to withstand their different backgrounds and the gang rivalry threatening to tear them apart.

While it's a stretch to say its two and a half hour running length flies by, it does start swinging for the fences with some strong musical sequences right out of the gate that effectively introduce the characters. As far as plot, nothing we get here is a departure from the source, but under Spielberg's direction, there is a freshness to the production design and cinematography that suggests the here and now, almost making you wonder why he didn't just go all the way and set it in the present. 

From a visual standpoint, it works, looking and feeling entirely different from the 1961 film while taking place in a 1950's that could double for 2021. Like its predecessor, it utilizes a mixture of locations and sound stages, but no one's watching West Side Story as a historical drama or an approximation of these characters beyond their emotions, which are rooted in a nostalgic reality of sorts. Spielberg's stylistic choices reflect this sensibility, while correcting the '61 version's problematic issues of ethnic stereotyping and its offensive casting of brownfaced white actors as Puerto Ricans. 

Themes of racial tension and discrimination play as strongly now as then, making this fertile ground for a more relevant interpretation, with Spielberg and Kushner handling those issues more sensitively than decades ago without sacrificing the drama. The songs are more up and down, with some questionably placed and feeling dated, especially Tony's more quietly contemplative ones. Elgort has taken a lot of heat as the weakest link, and while it's the actor's flattest big screen lead performance yet, he comes alive in the last act and his scenes opposite Zegler really click, with them having better chemistry together than they've probably gotten credit for. His singing voice is pleasant but boring, though he's still an improvement over the bland Richard Beymer before him, who didn't do his own singing and brought even less to the role. After this, it may be time to admit there have always been problems with the surface-level Tony character that go beyond whoever is chosen to play him.

Maria fares better and that might be okay since the story always seemed to be more hers, with Tony serving as the catalyst to help her realize who she is and wants to be, eventually changing the dynamic between the Jets and Sharks. Angelic newcomer Zegler is a real find, with a singing voice so perfect it would almost seem unrealistic for the character if she wasn't so believable overall. Their initial meeting at the dance (set against the backdrop of cinematographer Janusz Kamiński's lens flare madness) is one of the film's strongest sequences, with the sensational "America" musical number and gang fight not too far behind. But it's the fallout from the pivotal rumble where Spielberg really steps on the gas, as we completely lose ourselves enough in the story and characters during the last forty minutes to squash any lingering reservations.   

Of everyone, it's Mike Faist and Ariana DeBose who just seem as if they completely belong as Riff and Anita, with the former equally adept at conveying the menace of this gang leader while his loose limbed interpretation of Justin Peck's choreography carries a natural physicality that fits in any era. DeBose, given the unenviable task of stepping into the role that already won Rita Moreno an Oscar, not only carries the musical sequences, but deftly handles the film's most notoriously difficult and controversial scene in the second half. Moreno's own role as Valentina is smallish in terms of screen time but she makes it count, leaving a memorable impression as Tony's boss and mentor. And as hot-tempered boxer Bernardo, Rivera effectively gets inside the skin of this overprotective brother and boyfriend whose anger and stubbornness guide his every action.

Though Spielberg's name was curiously downplayed in the marketing, the film's commercial reception highlights how his personal tastes have further diverged from the general movie going public over the past decade or so. Expecting audiences to come out in droves for this may have been a miscalculation, but it's clear he's only interested in doing things that personally excite him as a filmmaker. It's hard to argue he hasn't earned the right, shepherding a production that feels and plays like a big event, greatly benefiting from having him at the helm. With its wild tonal shifts, West Side Story isn't exactly the easiest material to faithfully update, so he deserves credit for putting a fresh coat of paint on a musical that can still be affectionately described as old fashioned in the best possible way.