“The Bikeriders”
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Haters will say the latest Jeff Nichols film is without plot, but real ones know that the long-awaited Focus Features release is a near-two hour meditation on the allure of 1960s motorcycle culture. While the leather and revved engines are par for the course, the real discovery to pick up on is the dynamic between leads Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy — a love triangle of sorts that veers into unexpected directions.
Sexiest Scene: No moment sells the premise of a lifetime with Butler’s character Benny being the most desirable thing in the world better than the scene where he first meets Comer’s Kathy. The actress herself shared with IndieWire that Butler initially sauntered his way over to her in a normal fashion, but then Hardy made a key adjustment. “Tom was facing us from behind the camera. And he shouted over to ask them to spin his chair around,” she said. “‘OK.’ And then Austin spins and leant over the chair. That’s now one of the most iconic images from the film.” —Marcus Jones