Parents' Guide to

The Bikeriders

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Biker-gang drama glorifies lawlessness, violence, smoking.

Movie R 2024 116 minutes
The Bikeriders Movie Poster: Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy's faces above an image of motorcyclists

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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Is It Any Good?

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Kids say (2 ):

This drama is engrossing and, as a historical record of sorts, offers insight into how denim-vested outlaw motorcycle clubs came to power in the 1960s. Butler's strong star performance plays into old-school (and outdated) notions of "bad boy" masculinity. Looking like a cross between James Dean and Brad Pitt, Benny is definitely cool. Too cool. Dangerously cool. The violence in The Bikeriders is shocking—but even more eye-opening is the nonchalance with which the members give and receive it. Here, men work out their issues by punching and kicking one another; afterward, they go get a beer. You may find yourself wondering whether perhaps men need to express their emotions through pummeling each other (the answer is an emphatic "no").

Using a reporter to interview the subjects is distracting. The flashbacks hum, but there's too much of Kathy looking into a camera and talking (for some reason, with a Minnesota accent, even though she's a Chicagoan). The choice to tell this hypermasculine story through the perspective of one of the club wives would have paid off more had it offered more insight into the members' motivations for leading a life of menace—but Kathy never figures it out, and, therefore, neither do we. As a result, the movie, while well made and engrossing, is as emotionally muted as its male characters.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: June 21, 2024
  • On DVD or streaming: July 9, 2024
  • Cast: Jodie Comer , Austin Butler , Tom Hardy
  • Director: Jeff Nichols
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: Focus Features
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 116 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: language throughout, violence, some drug use and brief sexuality
  • Last updated: July 10, 2024

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