It seems to be widely agreed amongst the film community that 2016 wasn’t a great year for films, and they’re half right; there was a lot to be desired from the big budget films. Sure, we got great blockbusters like Captain America: Civil War, but for the most part, we were served a variety of lukewarm, mediocre, or just downright bad productions (Looking at you, Independence Day...). Where 2016 shined was it’s independent cinema. Last year, especially the final quarter, delivered some exceptional smaller budget stuff that has made up the bulk of everyone’s “Best of” lists, and one that particularly stood out was David Mackenzie’s Hell or High Water, which is out on DVD and Blu-Ray now.

Toby (Chris Pine), a reserved divorced father, and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster), his loose cannon of a brother, have been wronged by the bank following the death of their mother and face losing their family farm. In order to raise the money needed, the pair go on a series of small bank robberies, while being pursued by Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges), an aging police officer on the bring of retirement, desperate for one last bust.

Hell or Highwater is by far one of the best films of 2016; it’s an incredible story on such a small scale. Mackenzie already proved himself a worthy filmmaker with 2014’s British prison drama Starred Up, and he’s almost outdone himself with this one. For starters, it’s a gorgeous looking film. The cinematography is absolutely stunning, and adds a rich atmosphere for it’s compelling story. The writing is really strong. It’s a very tight little Western that allows its drama to marinate and develop, and you feel everything that happens on a personal level. A lot of people argue that this is a very slow paced film, and I totally disagree; perhaps it’s slower than most action films, but it moves at a very steady and comfortable pace that feels just right.

But by far the best thing about this film is the performances. Chris Pine is a very talented guy, and he’s been around for a while, but only with this feature has he truly tapped into his potential. He’s a decent action hero, with his performances in that area getting gradually better over the years, and incredibly funny, meaning a welcome addition to comedies like Horrible Bosses 2, Into the Woods, and Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, but this is his first dramatic lead role that really hits the way it should. He’s by far the most reserved of the three leads, and he plays the character in a calm and collected way. Jeff Bridges plays the standard Jeff Bridges role, where you can’t understand a single word he’s saying, but he’s still great. Come to think, it’s actually like a good version of his performance in R.I.P.D. He reaches a certain level of poignancy in a lot of scenes, and his back and forth with his partner (played by Gil Birmingham) is often hilarious.

The star of this show however is Mr. Ben Foster; Foster is a fairly unremarkable actor. Not bad by any means, but he’s frequently forgettable in films like Contraband, Lone Survivor, Rampart, and X-Men: The Last Stand, amongst others. His best performance to date was in 3:10 to Yuma, but this role completely overtakes that as Foster completely disappears into the character. All you see is the arrogant, reckless, foul mouthed, hyperactive character that is Tanner Howard, and he is electrifying to watch. He deserves every award going, especially the Oscar.

Hell or High Water is hands down one of the year’s best indies, particularly for it’s performances but also for it’s compelling story and beautiful cinematography. David Mackenzie is definitely a director to get excited for.

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Hell or High Water is out on Blu-Ray and DVD now