A girl marked for death, must fight and steal to stay alive, learning from the most frightening man she knows-her father. An adaptation of Jordan Harper’s award winning novel.
Chuck says:
With “She Ride’s Shotgun,” director Nick Rowland combines disparate genre elements to create a unique, dynamic narrative. At times this road trip, neo-western, action movie, family drama comes together. At others, it’s as messy as it sounds. Still, Rowland’s visual style and a breakout performance from newcomer Ana Sophia Heger almost hold it all together, those two elements and the curious nature of film compelling us to hold on just to see how it will all play out.
Waiting for her mother to pick her up from school, 10-year-old Polly Huff (Heger) is surprised to see her father, Nathan (Taron Egerton), arrive to fulfill that duty. Not only did she assume he was still in jail but the sight of him in her mom’s car, which has the windows broken out, proves jarring. Reluctant but having little choice, the girl gets in and so begins a cross-country odyssey that finds these two estranged people on the run, not only from the police, but also a vast network of criminals who want Nathan dead.
Their journey takes them deep into the American Southwest, with stops along the way at fleabag hotels, rundown truck stops and the occasional convenience store when they’re low on cash, these being Nathan’s preferred sites for armed robbery. On their heels is a tenacious detective, John Park (Rob Yang) who, unlike his colleagues, doesn’t believe Nathan is responsible for having killed his wife but is rather on the run from members of a crime syndicate run by Houser (John Carroll Lynch) who’s intent on settling a score with the fugitive.
Amidst the myriad car chases and gun fights, scenes with father and daughter play out, their fractured bond healing due to the dire situation they’re in. Before you know it, Nathan is teaching his little girl how to take down a larger opponent with a blunt object and fire a handgun. Along the way, Polly overcomes her reservations and comes to see her father as her protector.
As outlandish as this all is, the interactions between Egerton and Heger are sincere and, at times, moving. The veteran actor, who always impresses with the way he totally commits to his roles, brings a manic sense of desperation to Nathan that eventually wins us over. As for Heger, the film belongs to her, the young actress engaged every moment she’s on screen. There’s a lack of artifice in her captivating performance, every extreme emotion she’s required to convey done with sincerity and compassion. You can’t take your eyes off her and she serves notice as a performer to watch.
However, once the messy third act is reached, our suspension of disbelief is stretched to the breaking point. An extended sequence between Park and his corrupt partner robs the story of its momentum, while circumstances surrounding Polly’s ability to infiltrate Houser’s massive compound where Nathan has gone for a final reckoning, is too much to swallow. Also troubling is seeing the girl in peril, what with bullets whizzing by her, machine gun chatter polluting the air. Seeing Polly thrown around like a rag doll and begging for her life may be too much for some viewers.
Had this adaptation of the Jordan Harper novel jettisoned some of the grittier elements and concentrated more on the interactions between father and daughter, a modern “Paper Moon,” may have been the result. As it is, “Shotgun” is a well-made film with solid performances that gets sidetracked by a story of dissimilar parts. Things never really gel, the various plotlines seemingly patched together quickly with duct tape. Still, Egerton and Heger are great together, and for some, that will be enough.
2 1/2 Stars
Pam says:
“She Rides Shotgun” is almost indescribable as it melds so many genres of stories. It’s a disturbing family drama, crime story, and thriller, giving us complicated storylines which all intersect, and characters with whom we connect and care about and an ending that will take your breath away.
Initially unrecognizable, Egerton portrays Nate, a recently released convict on the run for a double homicide with his biological daughter, Polly (Ana Sophia Heger). We meet Polly, in a remote and desolate Western town, who is waiting patiently for her mother to pick her up. Along comes Nate and Polly hesitantly gets into the car, wary of this man who we soon learn is her father. As the cops begin their manhunt and an effort to save Polly, Detective Rob Yang (John Park) puts the pieces of the puzzle together, finding police corruption, murder, and a meth lab that ties everything together including the fact that this drug ring has a “green light” out on Nate and everyone he loves.
This is a tension-filled film that weaves together a complicated tale, keeping you on the edge of your seat for the entire road trip. It’s a perilous trek for this young girl, frustrating the viewer as we can do nothing to help. And that’s where this film shines. Not for a minute do you feel as if this isn’t happening. The performances are striking, particularly from Heger. As a young actor, she delivers authenticity and emotional depth that will haunt you long after the credits role. Together, with Edgerton, there’s a familial bond; we see and feel the connection between the two and understand the sacrifices a parent will make for his or her child.
Powerful is an understatement when describing not only the story but the performances. John Carrol Lynch boldly plays a boss we’d never dare cross, and Park gives us an equally chilling perfomance as someone with ethics, but will compromise when needed.
Director Nick Rowland’s deft direction brings all the necessary elements together to give us one of the best movies of the year. With stellar performances and a setting that accentuates the barren morals and values of the population, “She Rides Shotgun” will be sitting high on my list come awards season.
4 stars
