The Bikeriders (2023) - Goodfellas with motorbikes

From almost the opening scene I was thinking 'Goodfellas' when I sat down to watch 'The Bikeriders,' mainly because of how it's effectively told from the girlfriend of one of the main protagonist's perspective.  It certainly takes the 'gangster genre' and transplants it onto a group of motorbike riders with its gritty take into the world.  Apparently, it's based on a book, written by a journalist who spent time with the bikers during the late 60s and early 70s and does a good job of capturing the brotherhood, loyalty and (occasional intense!) violence that define the biker subculture.

Tom Hardy delivers the outstanding performance of the film, not straying too far away from what he's done before with his tough-guy act as character of the club's leader.  His inclusion as kindly, yet menacing adds a definitely depth to the film that elevates it beyond a typical crime drama.  Hardy is definitely the stand-out, but that largely because he literally seems to have more lines to work with than the actual protagonist who, although does a good impression of a 'James Dean' type character, his lack of dialogue does wonders for Tom Hardy's input.

While the main storyline drives the story well, some of the sub-plots involving some younger gang-members feels a bit redundant initially.  These narrative threads seem to not really go anywhere until they finally clash with the central characters at the end, but, until then, they do feel a bit distracting. However, as the film progresses, these seemingly extraneous elements are woven back into the main plot in a way that enhances the overall story.  The eventual payoff of these sub-plots has its own merits, but you'll only really appreciate it when you know why it's been added.

Overall, 'The Bikeriders' is a great little film which I haven't seen anything like it in the cinema for a long time.  It's deep, gritty, but at the same time could almost be considered a bit of a 'love story' with the central characters and their relationship which is strained when it clashes with the 'biker lifestyle.' If you like your gritty dramas, or are just a fan of Tom Hardy and decent storytelling, it stands out as a noteworthy entry in the genre. 

8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one