After a chance encounter, headstrong Kathy is drawn to Benny, member of Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals. As the club transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, Benny must choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.
Austin Butler
Benny
Jodie Comer
Kathy
Tom Hardy
Johnny
Michael Shannon
Zipco
Mike Faist
Danny
Boyd Holbrook
Cal
Damon Herriman
Brucie
Beau Knapp
Wahoo
Emory Cohen
Cockroach
Karl Glusman
Corky
Toby Wallace
The Kid
Norman Reedus
Funny Sonny
Happy Anderson
Big Jack
Paul Sparks
Gary Rogue Leader
Will Oldham
Bartender
Nathan Neorr
Goodpaster
Mierka Girten
The Kid's Mother
Paul Dillon
The Kid's Father
Valerie Jane Parker
Dingy
Tony Donno
Paulie
Mike Endoso
Henry
Rachel Lee Kolis
Betty
Phuong Kubacki
Gail
Erin Scerbak
Big Barbara
Andrew Riley Stephens
Benny's Cousin
Forba Shepherd
Alice
David Myers Gregory
Frank
Ryan Wesley Gilreath
Bikerider #1
Michael Abbott Jr.
David
Jim Freivogel
Columbus Member
Maggie Cramer
Donna
Sara Mackie
Laundromat Lady #1
Johanna McGinley
Laundromat Lady #2
Steve Marvel
Motorist
Nicholas Hargous
Vandal #1
Radek Lord
Gary Rogue Member
Alex Haydon
Young Vandal
Jordan Mullins
Vandal #2
Becca Howell
Dancing Drunk Girl
Al Harland
Police Officer (uncredited)
Kagga Jayson
Jack (uncredited)
Jerry Mullins
MC member (uncredited)
Dakota Phillips
New Vandal (uncredited)
David Pittinger
Happy Family Dad (uncredited)
Anna Sheridan
Rita (uncredited)
Director, Writer
Jeff Nichols
Book
Danny Lyon
June 26, 2024
6
Danny (Mike Faist) is a would-be journalist who is interviewing Kathy (Jodie Comer) who is married to Benny (Austin Butler) who is a member of the "Valdals". They are a motor cycle club run by Johnny (Tom Hardy) with an almost masonic approach to looking out for each other. She takes us back to how they met, and of her nervousness about mixing with this outwardly aggressive fraternity, but as she gets to know them and they her, she begins to understand they are no threat, and that in many ways are all the family the others will have/need. As time moves on, though, the "Vandals" become a victim of their own success and a proliferation of chapels emerges, introducing a younger more venal and violent element to challenge the existing status quo. Using the stresses and strains of their relationship as a bedrock for the chronology, we follow the ups and downs of this disparate gang and their leader. Sadly, this isn't really a film that catches fire. It's based on real characters, and upon the book written by Danny Lyon, but "The Wild One" (1953) it isn't. It's often as if we are just a small fly on the wall observing their day to day routines and dependencies, but we never really get to know the characters. Comer does fine, but she really serves as little better than the narrator rather than an impassioned character increasingly concerned for her husband's wellbeing. There's also precious little dialogue from either Butler or Hardy and the rigid structure of the drama makes it quite hard to empathise with any of them, really. There is also a dearth of action here. For all the bikes, leather and testosterone we are left with just one or two scenes that raise the pulse a little - and they have been well exploited already in the trailing for the film. It's a good looking film but after all the hype, I was a bit disappointed with it's shallowness.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$40,000,000.00
Revenue:
$35,971,858.00