She Rides Shotgun
Taron Egerton and Ana Sophia Heger shine in slow-burn crime thriller.
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I haven’t read Jordan Harper’s novel “She Rides Shotgun” nor have I seen any shorts, TV work or films from co-writer/director Nick Rowland, but the presence of Taron Egerton (whose work I’ve loved in “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” “Eddie the Eagle” and “Rocketman”) was enough to draw me to this adaptation of the same name (in select theaters beginning Friday, Aug. 1).
Egerton stars as a recently released ex-convict named Nathan Mcclusky, who’s been greenlit by the skinhead gang who protected him in prison for turning on them. This greenlight extends to his ex-wife, her new husband and his estranged 11-year-old daughter Polly Huff (Ana Sophia Heger). Unfortunately, Polly’s mom and stepdad get got, but Nate intercepts her at school before the baddies arrive.
The police assume Nate killed his ex and her husband and kidnapped Polly, so they and the skinheads are in pursuit of the father-daughter duo. Nate does what he has to do to ensure he and Polly’s safety up to and including asking for assistance from former friend Charlotte (Odessa A’zion), bleaching and cutting Polly’s hair, stealing cars and sticking up gas stations.
The skinhead gang is led by the crooked, meth-peddling Sherriff Houser (John Carroll Lynch, an aces character actor who excels at playing both monsters and teddy bears). Straight-arrow Det. John Park (Rob Yang) wants to bring Houser down despite warnings against doing so from his partner Jimmy (David Lyons) and is willing to use Nate’s situation to ensure this happens.
“She Rides Shotgun” is well-directed by Rowland and well-acted by Egerton, Heger, Lynch and Yang. I was especially moved by the relationship between Egerton and Heger’s characters and the way they played them. Nate desperately wants to know Polly and is attempting to make amends for bad decisions and up for lost time.
“She Rides Shotgun” is a slow-burn crime thriller that’s arguably too slow (Julie Monroe’s editing could have been more judicious), but it also gives the proceedings a 1970s vibe in which we really get to know our protagonists. There is a prolonged robbery/shoot-out/car chase sequence set to Underworld’s “denver luna,” which is electric and serves as the movie’s action high point.
“She Rides Shotgun” could serve as a calling card for the British Rowland as well as the youthful Heger and is a stirring reminder of Egerton’s strength as an actor. It’s not an easy watch as it’s awfully sad and a child is often depicted as being in jeopardy, but it’s ultimately a rewarding one.