She Rides Shotgun (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

Forced to go on the run with her father, Polly (Ana Sophia Heger) must learn how to fight and steal in order to survive. As Polly and her father, Nate (Taron Egerton), face the ghosts of his past, even more demons are uncovered as the full weight of local law enforcement and Nate’s harrowing past close in on them. She Rides Shotgun is an intimate examination of the relationship between father and daughter during the most trying of times. 

She Rides Shotgun wastes no time, as it almost immediately hits viewers over the head with extreme and powerful emotion. There’s no coming back from the emotional turmoil that Polly is forced to face throughout the course of She Rides Shotgun, and that viewers face along with her. Emotion continues to build as the film progresses, refusing to relent–creating levels of intensity and suspense that last the entirety of the film. 

One of my greatest concerns going into She Rides Shotgun was that Egerton wasn’t the right choice to play Nate, a young father with a long criminal record. While he’s played the action hero in Kingsman: The Secret Service and its sequel–there’s still something young and quasi-innocent about him that made me nervous. However, Egerton is just edgy enough as an actor to fill the shoes of this maniacal and manipulative individual. His ability to fill the role of Nate and lead She Rides Shotgun is impressive. 

Furthermore, Nate is a far more dynamic character than he initially seems, filled with guilt and pain–something that Egerton portrays so well. There’s almost an immediate calming charm present in the character, and while he remains the dark, mysterious character that was promised, the depth present in the character seemingly provides Egerton the opportunity to have fun with She Rides Shotgun, exploring different parts of his acting repertoire and bringing them to the screen with great aplomb. 

Moments of comedic levity creep into She Rides Shotgun as the chemistry between Egerton and Heger is superb. Heger being a brilliantly talented actor, and Egerton provided the opportunity to stretch his comedic chops allows the duo to find great success as the film barrels forward. It’s important to mention the comedy, as it provides a much-needed juxtaposition to the heaviness that transcends nearly the entirety of the film. She Rides Shotgun never truly relents in terms of hearty emotion, but a balance is achieved as a result of those aforementioned comedic moments between Polly and Nate. 

Director Nick Rowland creates an immersive experience that often places viewers within the conversations held between characters on screen. Using the camera to insert viewers into the film, they are afforded the opportunity to become part of this journey, rather than simply being a bystander throughout the process. Rowland and Director of Photography Wyatt Garfield’s use of the camera effectively ups the ante in She Rides Shotgun, heightening the intensity present ,and making it nearly impossible not to force a powerful emotional connection between viewers and the film’s two leads. 

Through the immersive cinematography, the brilliant performances, and the heavy-hitting emotional moments, She Rides Shotgun checks all the boxes of a powerful and successful cinematic venture. She Rides Shotgun is a breath of fresh air in terms of its originality, even as it incorporates elements from past films and stories. The film is unrelenting, unapologetic, and perfectly grounded–making it one of my favorite films of the year. 

Directed by Nick Rowland. 

Written by Ben Collins, Jordan Harper, Luke Piotrowski, & Nick Rowland. 

Starring Taron Egerton, Ana Sophia Heger, Rob Yang, John Carroll Lynch, Odessa A’zion, etc. 

8.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING