Filmmaker Jeff Nichols excels at reconstructing a specific era. It would even be more accurate to say a moment in time, experienced by a group of people. His natural camera and his authentic writing give the impression of being a privileged witness.
The American did it for Mud (2012) then Loving (2016) and repeats the feat with The Bikeriders (Les motards in French version). The approach is even similar to that of the documentary in the first half.
The scenario is inspired by a photo book by Danny Lyon. In the feature film which bears the name of his work published in 1967, the photojournalist is played by Mike Faist (Challengers). In addition to taking photos of members of the Vandals, a Chicago motorcycle club, he conducted interviews with some of them. His main interviewee, however, is Kathy (Jodie Comer), wife of Benny (Austin Butler), a dark and volatile young biker. From her love at first sight to the rejection of this unstable life, the story of the bold young woman guides the film.
The performance of the actress seen in Free Guy and The Last Duel is remarkable. Without excess and with disarming frankness, she expresses the emotion that these withdrawn men repress. The acting of the actors who play them is not uninteresting, however. Austin Butler (Elvis, Dune: Part Two) displays a charisma reminiscent of James Dean. A man of few words, Benny speaks with his eyes and his fists. The leader of the Vandals, Johnny (Tom Hardy, again with an impossible, but convincing accent), is more talkative. More the father of a large family than a criminal leader, he gradually lost the influence of his club, which saw its ranks swell towards the end of the Vietnam War. The new members do not obey the same code of conduct and cause tension with the old guard.
The supporting characters help make The Bikeriders a heartfelt and entertaining experience. Played by very talented actors, such as Michael Shannon, Boyd HolBrook and Norman Reedus, these colorful men are endearing and broaden the range of personalities of an often stereotypical subculture.
Although a period of their lives is recounted, little is known about them. The narrative remains on the surface and focuses more on the creation of an atmosphere than on an exploration of the psyche. This is not a fault in itself, but it is not the biographical film that one might expect. The bikers in Danny Lyon’s book existed. Those in Jeff Nichols’ film only have first names. However, they have enough charm to convince us to come on board with them and believe all their stories.