She Rides Shotgun is based on Jordan Harper‘s award-winning novel. Though I initially thought the title was a bit corny, I was intrigued by the trailer when I saw Taron Egerton as a father who kidnaps a young girl marked for death by the skinhead gang he used to work for, and must fight and steal in order to stay alive. I’ve been a fan of Egerton since his breakout role in Kingsman: The Secret Service, but since then, he’s proven to be one of the most charismatic and versatile actors of his generation. He’s terrific here and convincing as a fresh-out-of-prison gangster, Nate, who wants a fresh start, but the real scene stealer here is Ana Sophia Heger as Nate’s daughter, Polly.

Writer/director Nick Rowland skillfully blends a crime thriller with a coming-of-age story, starting with 11-year-old Polly at the end of a school day, waiting for her mother to pick her up. Polly is accustomed to her mom being late, so she waits patiently, only to be taken aback when her estranged dad shows up to pick her up. Rowland keeps us in suspense as to what happened to Polly’s mom as Nate refuses to tell Polly despite her probing.

Father-daughter tales are a dime a dozen, yet there’s an unusual dynamic between Nate and Polly that goes beyond mere survival. Some might think this movie is just another Hanna copycat, where a young girl is trained in the wilderness by her father to become a skilled assassin. While I think Hanna is a very good film, I’m glad this one is a very different story with its own unique arc for the female protagonist. Polly is really smart and mature for her age, but at the end of the day, she’s still just a kid and acts like it. Heger is amazing in this role, expressing a lot with just her eyes and facial expressions, and she definitely holds her own against her older co-stars. The scene of her making a phone call to local detective John Park (Rob Yang) is incredible; it’s one of the best performances by a young actor I’ve seen in a while.

I love the chemistry between Egerton and Heger, as they learn to trust and lean on one another with the ruthless Aryan Steel gang hot on their tail. I enjoy the scenes of just the two of them bonding in a motel room and Nate showing Polly the ropes, such as how to beat bad guys with a baseball bat. The bond that thrives amid turmoil is what anchors this crime drama, rich in human emotion. Polly’s journey from a frightened little girl, holding her teddy bear as her sole companion, to a tenacious survivor is utterly convincing and deeply moving. I find myself tearing up a few times watching her captivating performance.

The supporting cast is just as stellar. It’s fun seeing John Carroll Lynch portraying a despicable skinhead right after seeing him as a good Samaritan in Sorry, Baby. A skilled character actor (who ought to get some leading roles in my opinion), Lynch, sporting mutton chops, is quite menacing here as a crooked sheriff and tyrannical crime boss. Park is quite good as a resourceful detective who’s been trying to crack down on ‘the meth lab to end all meth labs’ while trying to solve a double-homicide connected with Nate and Polly. While his offer to Nate seems self-serving, it also offers the ex-con his only path to redemption. The story has a recurring theme of sacrifice that comes together in a really impactful way as it reaches its conclusion.

The slower moments are far from boring, but the action sequences are quite thrilling, particularly the car chase scene halfway through. I read in interviews that Rowland had a promising rally driving career before doing films, which explains the well-staged car chase that rivals even big-budget action movies like the Bourne or Bond franchises, without becoming overly preposterous like the Fast & Furious movies. Wyatt Garfield‘s cinematography highlights the stunning desert landscape of New Mexico, but it also shines in tighter spaces, i.e., in a car or an empty parking lot. I love the propulsive music by Blanck Mass, aka Benjamin John Power, an electronic recording artist and film composer. The music truly brings the action to life, whether it’s backing up the car chase or the shootout in the desert.

Billed as an independent film, this character-driven Neo-noir is such a pleasant surprise this Summer season, and I can even say it’s one of the best films of the year so far. Egerton serves as an executive producer, and props to him for picking a solid script that emphasizes character rather than just going for an easy paycheck gig. He bulked up for the role, and as I’m watching, I kept thinking he’d be great as Jason Bourne when Matt Damon hangs up that franchise. Rowland now becomes a filmmaker to watch out for, and I can’t wait to see where the talented Heger would go as a performer.

Have you seen SHE RIDES SHOTGUN? I’d love to hear what you think!
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