CHRIS Pine is probably best known for his role as Captain James T Kirk in the Star Trek movie franchise.
It can he hard to break free from the typecasting of such a famous character as William Shatner or any James Bond lead will tell you. But Pine is having a bash, and he’s just knocked it out of the park in his latest film.
The movie tells the story of two brothers, Toby (played by Pine) and Tanner (played by Ben Foster) who embark on a series of bank robberies, to steal money from the very organisation that is about to foreclose on their family ranch.
Toby wants nothing more than to provide his estranged son with a better life than he had, and Tanner seems motivated by an inner anger that regularly comes to the surface.
Trying to stop them is lone wolf Texas ranger, Marcus, close to retirement, but in no hurry to get there.
The film is reminiscent of a male ‘Thelma and Louise’, even though from the outset it’s clear that the two brothers aren’t heading off on a vacation that just happens to end badly.
This is altogether grittier from the outset, as we’re introduced to the boys in full swing robbing bank number one. That goes to plan, but once the ranger arrives on the scene, you get the feeling that this might not end well.
Pine is outstanding in a role that will no doubt establish him as one of the leading acting talents around, and he is ably assisted by an unnerving performance from Ben Foster, who manages to maintain his bubbling anger in check for most of the film, keeping you wondering when he will finally flip.
The always watchable Jeff Bridges plays the police officer and the final character of note is rural Texas, a place so run down, impoverished and broken, you almost wonder how else the brothers would entertain themselves, if they weren’t robbing banks.
The film is well paced and will keep you gripped throughout. We score it a heavenly 4 out of 5 stars.
Paul O’Rourke
