Awards season is upon us, and the big wigs in Hollywood have finally given us a break from the summer “blockbusters” that are really just busts. With the release of “Hell or High Water,” it finally seems real.

“Hell or High Water” is a crime/western/drama film directed by David Mackenzie starring the likes of Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges. The film follows two brothers,  Toby (Pine), and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster), as they rob a string of banks in West Texas in order to save the family ranch.

Hot on the trails of the Howard brothers’ crime spree is a pair of Texas rangers. Marcus Hamilton (played excellently by Bridges) is a long-time ranger who is finally being forced to retire, but not before this one last case. His partner, Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham), is a part-Native American, part-Mexican ranger. Hamilton frequently makes fun of Parker’s ethnicity, but is given a pass because he is Parker’s senior, and very good at his job. Tanner, the loose cannon ex-con goes off the tracks every now and then, much to the dismay of Toby, the younger, mild-mannered brother who is the mastermind of their meticulously planned robberies. Both the rangers and the brothers bicker with each other and work as good character foils to each other, however, throughout the film, you see both duos grow closer together, whether it be by robbing banks or hunting down the robbers themselves.

The script of  “Hell or High Water” is the highlight of the movie. The characters feel real and you can sense their individual strengths and weaknesses through their conversations with others. Even the less important characters, such as a crotchety waitress at a small-town steakhouse, or an angry thug at a gas station, all feel genuine. The writing is complemented by great acting performances across the board, all the lines are delivered with authenticity, which created the illusion of a small town in the West Texas.

The cinematography is deliberately very bland. It appears washed out and devoid of any bright colors, and they couldn’t have shot it any better. The movie feels dry, and it gives you a sense of the barren atmosphere. The only nice looking places are the banks, and not coincidentally, they are the real antagonists of the film.

However, “Hell or High Water” is not without sin. The setup for the characters and their motivations are pretty generic; everyone has seen the thief with the heart of gold, and it feels like the plot was lifted from Robin Hood and the characters are from “No Country For Old Men.” As the film progresses, the characters and plot are taken in interesting directions, but the beginning is a little dry because of its lack of originality. The movie’s climax, without spoiling anything, ends with a bang, and while it has some shocks and a lot of emotion, it seems out of character for the one setting it in motion.

Overall, “Hell or High Water” is an extremely well-made film and very enjoyable to watch. It’s a great way to kick off awards season, but let’s hope it’s not the best these coming months have to offer.