The Bike Riders * * * *

The Photo Journalist and his fine looking subjects

In the late 60's and early 70's photographer Danny Lyon decided to do a photographic essay on Bike Culture.  He chose to hang out with a Chicago Club.  He came out of it with a book of photographs and interviews that gave an uncensored insight into their world.

Jeff Nichols film is both a reenactment of Danny Lyon interviewing members, and a dramatisation of the events that Lyon witnessed and was told about by the Club members.

Jeff Nichols is an interesting director and followers look forward to each of his films:  He wrote and directed Loving and Midnight Special and Mud. Although his stories are uniquely American he frequently chooses to mix his cast with English and Australian actors.

Whereas Danny Lyon's book told the story from an objective journalistic perspective, Nichols chooses to put Lyon into the story, so we see him interviewing and photographing the club members. He is played by Mike Faist.

Much of the story is told by Kathy who was married to Benny, one of the key members  She was there from the early days of the club.  Actress Jodie Comer plays Kathy, using much of the original transcript as her dialogue.  She's got the accent down pat.  

As Kathy explains how she got involved in The Club, we cut to those early days. 

Tom Hardy plays club president Johnny, and we learn it was only ever to be a weekend social club of motorbike enthusiasts.  Most of the time he remained a family man with a day job as a truck driver. But it was a time where motorbike clubs were growing all over the country.  In the sixties everyone was trying to be radical and non-conformist.  You could be a draft-dodger on the run, a hippy... or... maybe you could do this? 

Soon Johnny's club grew big and collected its fair share of rebels and outlaws and psychos. Johnny just went along with it but he had to get tougher himself to keep them in line.  His favourite "understudy" was Benny, played by Austin Butler.  Young, rebellious, devilishly handsome, Kathy totally fell for him and after a few months she married him.

There's all the crazy bikie outlaw stuff you'd expect from a bikie movie, along with the the codes of loyalty, but it's delivered differently.  It's realistic.  The Bike Riders is not interested in creating another "Bikie drama" so much as re-enacting the events that Lyon documented with some embellishment. (In the film they are called "The Vandals". In the book they were"The Outlaws").

You won't be short changed though.  You'll get your punch-ups, irresponsible drinking, anarchy, puerile interpretation of "manhood", along with admirable loyalty and the seductive sense of freedom that comes with the lifestyle. Then there are the bikes: big, powerful, noisy bikes.

It's gives great character study, especially with Johnny, Benny and Kathy, giving insight as to what made these people and what happened to them. They are beautifully developed characters that evoke sympathy, despite their dark side.

Other Bike Club Members are played with great relish by some fine actors including Michael Shannon, Toby Wallace and Damon Harriman.

Aside from the celebrated Easy Rider, there were plenty of B Grade Biker Films in the sixties and seventies. It's set in those times but does not reflect that style of film (though that could have been fun.)Neither is it like the popular Sons of Anarchy TV Series.  

Like Danny Lyon's book The Bike Riders takes another approach and does so quite successfully.