Taron Egerton continues to make really interesting choices in the roles he takes, especially now that Hollywood has stopped trying to turn him into the next superstar. She Rides Shotgun, an extremely gritty, moody crime thriller and adaptation of Jordan Harper’s novel, is one of the best roles he’s had, and it’s unlikely to be seen by enough people. That’s unfortunate, because while the storyline is ultimately quite familiar, this Bonnie ‘n Clyde-esque film about an ex-con father on the run with the daughter he barely knows is quite an affecting, emotional journey.
Egerton’s character Nate, doesn’t get off on the right foot at all. He comes skidding to the New Mexico school where his estranged 11-year-old daughter, Polly (Ana Sophia Heger), is waiting to be picked up by her mom. Immediately, Polly is sketched out about seeing her old man, who isn’t supposed to be there. She knows something has happened to her mom, and he’s avoiding real answers. We don’t need an elaborate retelling of Nate’s criminal past. They’re written in every little detail of his actions. The car he picks her up in, smashed windows and all, was clearly stolen. The danger he’s got her into is revealed by the way he teaches her to use a baseball bat (hint: it ain’t for hitting homers), and how he dyes her hair a new color. Nate pissed off the Aryans while in prison, and now they’re out to kill him and everyone he loves.
Screenwriters Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski have roots in the realm of horror with The Night House and the recent Hellraiser remake, and they paint a vividly gruesome world for Nate and Polly. One where the local sheriff, played by John Carroll Lynch in an impressive horseshoe mustache, gets off by gutting people like a fish. We’re so used to Lynch playing nice guys that it makes him pretty terrifying here. It’s also where Nate’s former flame (Odessa A’zion) can befriend Polly one minute, then betray her in the next. The same goes for the helpful cop (Rob Yang) on their trail. While he’s kind to Polly and cognizant of Nate’s predicament, he has no qualms about blackmailing the ex-con into doing his dirty work. That any sweetness can be built between father and daughter in this nightmarish scenario is one of the central conundrums that makes She Rides Shotgun compelling.
Fortunately, the film has strong performances from top to bottom. From the first time we met him in the Kingsman franchise, Egerton has exuded everyman charm that made him relatable and easy to like. As he’s gotten older, that blue-collar charisma remains, but it’s been hardened and sharpened to a fine edge. We can find ways to root him on even when he’s playing not-so-good people, and Nate has A LOT of problems, including a short fuse and a penchant for violence. But he’s trying to do good by his daughter, even when that means robbing a store to get her some candy, and getting shot for his trouble.
Not to be dismissed, Heger is a real find as Polly. The young Life in Pieces actress holds her own opposite Egerton, and even carries some of the film’s strongest emotional beats. There are more than a few times when Polly proves tougher and smarter than her old man, and more than capable of caring for him when needed.
She Rides Shotgun is directed by Nick Rowland, who shows an aptitude for action, including some impressive multi-faceted shootouts and chases, but also for the smaller, quieter moments between Nate and Polly, which are the film’s true beating heart when so much around them is heartless.
She Rides Shotgun is open in theaters now via Lionsgate.
