Over the past decade, director, writer, and producer Taylor Sheridan has emerged as one of the entertainment industry’s greatest talents, proving himself to be a master storyteller with the many critically-acclaimed TV shows and films he has helped craft. The Yellowstone creator is one of the small screen’s most recognizable and gifted visionaries, introducing audiences all around the world to sensational hits like Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and the aforementioned Kevin Costner-led knockout.
While fans may be aware of his dazzling contributions to television, they may be surprised to learn that Sheridan also has directed and penned multiple universally-lauded pictures like Sicario, Without Remorse, and the Academy Award-nominated Western crime drama Hell or High Water, arguably the most well-received and impressive films in his ever-growing resume. Let’s check out why the 2016 triumph proves that Sheridan should make a return to movies.
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Release Date
August 12, 2016
Runtime
97minutes
A Gripping Western Crime Drama Hit
Hollywood sensation Taylor Sheridan joined forces with director David Mackenzie for the taut 2016 neo-Western crime drama Hell or High Water. The movie touts a decorated ensemble cast featuring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Gil Birmingham and tells the gripping story of brothers Toby and Tanner Howard (Pine & Foster) who, in a desperate attempt to earn money to save their beloved family farm, rob a string of banks in southern Texas to come up with the crucial funds. The cool, calm, and collected Toby finds himself at odds with the wild and hot-headed ex-con Tanner, whose antics create unnecessary trouble for the money-desperate siblings.
Toby makes it his mission to provide for his two estranged sons, wanting to secure the homestead which he recently discovered has life-changing oil dwelling deep below the land. When Tanner goes rogue and robs a bank alone, his careless behavior comes back to bite the pair as the reckless crime falls on the radar of seasoned Texas Rangers Marcus Hamilton (Bridges) and Alberto Parker (Birmingham). With the former lawman just a few weeks shy of retirement, he nonetheless sets out to apprehend the brothers no matter what.
A Certified Silver Screen Sensation
When Hell or High Water made its electrifying debut in theaters on August 12, 2016, both moviegoers and critics were blown away by Taylor Sheridan’s exceptional screenplay and his brilliant ability to craft complex and intriguing characters in immersive atmospheres. Lauded for the stellar performances of its stacked cast and adrenaline-pumping premise and pacing, the Western drama proved to be a major hit at the box office, raking in over $37 million against its modest $12 million budget and taking the prestigious title as the highest-grossing independent movie of the year.
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Sheridan’s master skills with pen and paper were singled out by the masses, as his dazzling work in Hell or High Water attracted universal acclaim from both his peers and fans and helped him earn a BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Not only was the director, producer, and writer’s contributions lauded, but audiences couldn’t get enough of Bridges’ winning portrayal of the veteran Texas Ranger hot on the heels of the Howard brothers, with the Hollywood great also earning an Oscar-nod for Best Supporting Actor while taking home the award by the National Board of Review.
Hell or High Water is Sheridan’s most celebrated film thus far in his enviable career. The neo-Western was also selected by the American Film Institute as one of the top 10 movies of the year and proves that the creator can dominate both the big and small screen. When writing the screenplay, Sheridan wanted to explore the depth of the complicated characters and leave viewers conflicted on whether or not they should root for the brothers or the lawmen, telling Forbes in 2016:
“I don’t think of Toby and Tanner as terribly good men. I think they’re well-intentioned– I think Toby’s well-intentioned. And I think he made a decision that he’s going to be really bad once, so that his kids weren’t in the same situation…I wanted the audience really confused and conflicted about how they wanted this to turn out, and who they were hoping was still standing at the end of it.”
Sheridan Repeatedly Showcases His Filmmaking Talents
Hell or High Water proved that Taylor Sheridan should return to the big screen and continue entertaining audiences with his spectacular storytelling and masterful vision, although it’s not his only film that has garnered appreciation from his devoted fan base. Sheridan made his directorial debut with the 2011 horror movie Vile, a lesser-known project he followed up with by writing the screenplay for the 2015 Oscar-nominated action thriller Sicario, yet another critical and commerical success that further established him as one of the industry’s most refreshing talents.
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Sheridan would go on to direct the Western dramas Wind River (featuring Jeremy Renner & Elizabeth Olsen) and the Angelina Jolie-led thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead, an adaptation of the Michael Kortya novel that also fared well at the box office and with critics. The Yellowstone creator continued his string of success and wrote both Sicario: Day of the Soldado and Without Remorse, demonstrating his undeniable allure and riveting perspective when it comes to crafting original tales and characters. When reflecting on his approach to filmmaking, Sheridan told Esquire in 2017:
“I want to tell stories that matter to me. I want to tell them in ways that I find riveting to watch. I’m gonna break all the rules I’ve been taught to as an actor for exposition and structure.”
Stream Hell or High Water on Paramount+.
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