HELL OR HIGH WATER (2016)

Summary:

In the sun-baked, economically depressed landscape of West Texas, two estranged brothers, Toby and Tanner Howard, embark on a desperate spree of bank robberies. Their motivation is not greed, but a fervent desire to save their family ranch from foreclosure by the Texas Midland Bank. Toby, the recently divorced, mild-mannered brother, plans the heists with a calculated precision driven by love for his children, while his ex-convict older brother, Tanner, brings an unpredictable, volatile energy to their unlawful enterprise, often bordering on reckless.

As the brothers race against time to accumulate the necessary funds before the bank's deadline, they are relentlessly pursued by two seasoned Texas Rangers: the sharp-witted, nearing-retirement Marcus Hamilton and his half-Comanche, half-Mexican partner, Alberto Parker. What unfolds is a tense cat-and-mouse game across dusty highways and desolate towns, exploring themes of poverty, justice, family loyalty, and the fading American Dream in a modern-day Western setting where the lines between right and wrong become increasingly blurred.

Keywords: Hell or High Water, 2016, Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, Crime, Drama, Neo-Western.

Plot:

The film opens in the desolate, economically struggling landscape of West Texas, where brothers Toby and Tanner Howard execute their first bank robbery of a small Texas Midland Bank branch. Toby, the younger, recently divorced brother, is cautious and methodical, meticulously planning their moves. Tanner, the older, recently released ex-convict, is impulsive and reckless, often enjoying the chaos. Their motivation is revealed to be deeply personal: their deceased mother's ranch is facing foreclosure by the Texas Midland Bank due to a predatory reverse mortgage, and they need to raise $43,000 to pay off the lien by Friday to secure the land for Toby's sons. The brothers target only Texas Midland Bank branches, carefully selecting those in sparsely populated towns to minimize resistance and maximize their chances of escape.

The robberies quickly attract the attention of veteran Texas Ranger Marcus Hamilton, who is just weeks away from retirement. Hamilton, a sharp-witted and cynical lawman, is partnered with Alberto Parker, a half-Comanche, half-Mexican Ranger who often endures Hamilton's good-natured but pointed racial jokes. Hamilton quickly deduces that the robbers are not professional, but rather local, desperate individuals targeting a specific institution. He notes their pattern: small, early morning robberies, never taking too much, and always hitting Texas Midland branches. As the brothers continue their spree, Tanner's volatile nature becomes more pronounced. During one robbery, he fires a warning shot at a passing car and taunts a teller, much to Toby's increasing frustration and fear for their plan's integrity.

Hamilton and Parker begin their meticulous investigation, following the brothers' trail across the vast Texas plains. Hamilton's experience allows him to anticipate their moves, understanding the robbers' probable motivations and their limited scope. He surmises they are trying to raise a specific amount of money and are tied to the local area. Meanwhile, Toby and Tanner travel to Oklahoma to launder the stolen cash at a casino, turning small, marked bills into larger, untraceable denominations. This detour provides a temporary respite, but the pressure mounts as the deadline approaches. They return to Texas, needing one final score to reach their target sum, planning to hit a larger Texas Midland branch in the town of Post.

As the brothers prepare for their final heist, Hamilton and Parker have narrowed down the potential locations. Hamilton's instincts lead them to Post, where they stake out the Texas Midland Bank. The robbery begins, but this time, the bank employees are armed and ready. A violent shootout erupts, and a civilian bystander is killed. Toby and Tanner manage to escape, but the local posse, including armed citizens and law enforcement, quickly gives chase. In a desperate act of self-sacrifice, Tanner creates a diversion, drawing the attention of the pursuers while Toby escapes with the money. Tanner engages the posse in a fierce gun battle, leading them on a high-speed chase through the desert until he takes cover on a ridge overlooking the plains.

From his vantage point, Tanner picks off several members of the posse. Tragically, Ranger Alberto Parker is among those killed by Tanner's gunfire. Hamilton, consumed by grief and rage over his partner's death, continues the pursuit alone. Tanner, out of ammunition and cornered, is eventually shot and killed by a group of local ranchers who mistake him for a coyote after he taunts them with a final defiant cry. Toby, having successfully escaped the chaos, uses the laundered money to pay off the ranch's mortgage just hours before the deadline. He then sets up a trust for his sons and ex-wife, ensuring their financial security, claiming the funds came from the oil discovered on the now-secure family land – a story believed by the authorities, who have no evidence linking him to the robberies.

Hamilton, despite his retirement, cannot let go of Parker's death or the lingering suspicion about the second robber. He visits Toby's ex-wife and her sons, subtly probing for information, learning about Toby's character and the family's deep ties to the land. His investigation, driven by a personal sense of justice and vengeance, eventually leads him to Toby's ranch. In the film's tense climax, Hamilton confronts Toby. There's no legal proof linking Toby to the crimes, but Hamilton knows the truth. Toby, now a respected landowner, calmly admits his role, explaining his actions were solely for his children and to break the cycle of poverty that had plagued his family for generations. The conversation is a morally ambiguous standoff, acknowledging the blurred lines between right and wrong in a world where good men do bad things for what they believe are good reasons.

The film concludes with Hamilton and Toby sitting on the porch of the ranch house, a loaded gun resting between them. Hamilton promises to return to finish their conversation, implying a violent resolution, and Toby, equally resolute, agrees to be waiting. The ending leaves the audience to ponder the nature of justice, the lingering effects of desperation, and the cyclical nature of violence and retribution in a harsh, unforgiving landscape. The ranch is saved, Toby's sons are secure, but the cost has been immense, and the peace is fragile, underscored by the unspoken promise of a future confrontation, a final reckoning that may never come or may forever hang in the air.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Chris Pine as Toby Howard
• Ben Foster as Tanner Howard
• Jeff Bridges as Marcus Hamilton
• Gil Birmingham as Alberto Parker

Crew:

• Director: David Mackenzie
• Screenwriter: Taylor Sheridan
• Producers: Sidney Kimmel, Peter Berg, Carla Hacken, Julie Yorn
• Cinematography: Giles Nuttgens
• Editor: Jake Roberts
• Music: Nick Cave, Warren Ellis

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: August 12, 2016 (USA)
• Language: English
• Genre: Neo-Western, Crime, Drama
• Running Time: 102 minutes
• Accolades: Nominated for 4 Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Jeff Bridges, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing); numerous other awards and nominations including Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Critics' Choice Awards.