On both sides of the camera there is every reason to have high hopes for gritty crime thriller, Hell or High Water. First off, it's directed by David Mackenzie, who introduced the world to Jack O'Connell with the excellent prison drama, Starred Up. Then there's screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, whose script for Sicario was one of last year's best and gave Benicio Del Toro his finest role in years. And then there's the cast, which is led by Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, and Ben Foster.
That's a might package all around, and the trailer isn't too shabby, either. Described as "a collision between the Old and New West", the Texas-set story centers on two brothers (Pine, Foster), one a divorced father of two, the other an ex-con, who go on a bank robbing spree to save their West Texas farm from foreclosure. All seems to be going well until they find themselves in the crosshairs of a foul-mouthed Texas Ranger (Bridges) looking for one last capture before retirement.
Hell or High Water (formerly Comancheria) will screen at Cannes in a few days, and then CBS Films plans to release it on August 12th. Add this to my list of most anticipated movies for the second half of 2016.
