THE HIGHWAYMEN: Bonnie & Clyde’s Latest Offense

It’s not exactly rare to see Kevin Costner or Woody Harrelson suit up for a Western, and their latest venture, The Highwaymen, brings the duo together in yet another cowboy-hatted and gunslinging drama, but this time around it’s to tell the true story of the team that brought down Bonnie and Clyde. Director John Lee Hanc*ck (The Blind Side, The Founder) joins with Netflix to bring us this unsung story of Texas Rangers, and although the film may not borrow from the more exciting aspects of its source material, it offers an enjoyable chemistry between Costner and Harrelson and attractively captures the essence of its time.

Giddy Up

The Highwaymen sets up by first introducing us to Frank Hamer (Costner), a retired Texas Ranger. The rugged law enforcer has settled down with his wife, Gladys Hamer (Kim Dickens), in a grand Texas estate before he’s called upon once more by Governor Ma Ferguson (Kathy Bates) to stop the notorious criminal group, Bonnie and Clyde. With the help of his old partner Maney Gault (Harrelson), and accompanying law enforcers, Hamer endeavors through every Western trope before finally bringing an end to the team of criminals and etching his place in history all the meanwhile.

Seen as the real life ‘Robin Hoods’ of their time, Bonnie and Clyde are viewed with grandeur by the common folk, and in the film, this creates an intriguing contrast with the harsh realities of their crimes. This dilemma briefly weighs on Hamer and Gault, and as a viewer, you’ll be more invested and impacted by the gruesomely parallelled conclusion.

Free Range

First and foremost, this film would not feel as full without its wholesome cast. The narrative may not all be there, but with likable performances by Costner and Harrelson and exciting supporting acts including Kathy Bates and William Sadler (who portrays Clyde Barrow’s father), The Highwaymen is delightfully strung together. It’s hard not to enjoy these performers in dramatized period pieces, and in this film, that’s no different.

Beyond that, the movie wonderfully offers enticing dialogue and one heartfelt monologue. Hamer and Henry Barrow (Sadler) share an earnest moment that remains among the most thoughtful scenes in this film, and Hamer and Gault’s grizzled quips and out of touch exchanges work justifyingly as classic pieces of Westerns and crime dramas. What’ll perhaps linger on as the most memorable offering comes from Harrelson’s Gault, who convincingly delves into an intimate and haunting moment from his past.

The performances and script work as glue to hold this film together, but they would not have been as appreciable without the cinematography of John Schwartzman. The Highwaymen beautifully captures Central United States as Hamer and Gault road trip across Texas and surrounding borders. The landscapes are then bolstered by an exceptional presentation of the 1930s with substantial visual anatomy. This combination of elements makes the film all the more immersive.

Oh, Boy

The Highwaymen has plenty of promising qualities, but unfortunately, they’re not quite enough to make it a memorable film. The story of beaten down lawmen is one that’s been told time and time again, and some production decisions did nothing to at least give it an edge in the pile of hackneyed tropes. Sure, this film is based on true story, but that still does not demote these cinematic flaws.

There are directorial decisions that feel sluggish and tiresome throughout the film — especially in the first half — and plenty of the plot feels predictable, whether you’re watching with or without knowledge of its historical context. The film is placing an old American tale in a new limelight, but it’s not doing so in distinctive fashion. Aside from its storytelling, I also found that The Highwaymen lacks a charismatic score and is host to editing that at times feels lazy.

In my honest assessment, I found that plenty of the tracks in this film lacked the ambition and suspense of the scenes they were placed alongside. It’s unfortunate because composer Thomas Newman is capable of so much better. The lackluster thrills are also met by instances that could have been stronger with better tamed editing. It may be nit-picky, but whether it be in moments of self reflection, an overly clouded car chase, or ordinary exchanges between characters, The Highwayman occasionally feels awkwardly put together, which is partly due to tiresome jump cuts and fadeaway transitions. 

The Highwaymen: Conclusion

You may not find yourself enamored with this film the way you might be with other Westerns like True Grit or Unforgiven, for example, but if you look past the initial slow burn and the occasional misses in capturing its narrative, you’ll at least find solace in its performances and be met by its wonderfully devastating final scenes. These qualities will not make up for the film completely, but they’ll make the ride a lot smoother. When it’s over, you can at least thank Netflix for bringing us a flick with the ever-enjoyable team of Costner and Harrelson.

What did you think of The Highwaymen? Did you enjoy Costner and Harrelson on screen together too? Let us know!

The Highwaymen received a limited theatrical release in the United States on March 15. As of March 29, it is streaming worldwide on Netflix.