---
title: "The Highwaymen"
year: 2019
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-highwaymen"
fi1m_id: "the-highwaymen"
imdb_id: "tt1860242"
tmdb_id: 500682
wikidata_id: "Q48637969"
fi1m_score: 55
critics_score: 53
critics_reviews: 22
published: "2026-09-24T09:39:23.994577+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-24T09:39:24.585683+00:00"
region: "IN"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Highwaymen (2019)

Directed by John Lee Hancock · 2h 13m · Crime, Drama, Thriller

## Identity

The Highwaymen

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-highwaymen
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-highwaymen
- **IMDb ID:** tt1860242
- **TMDB ID:** 500682
- **Wikidata ID:** Q48637969
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1860242/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/500682, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48637969

**Fi1m score: 55** · Critics 53 from 22 reviews

*In a sentence:* Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson make good travelling companions, provided nobody needs to get anywhere

> Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson make good company, but John Lee Hancock’s manhunt rarely gathers urgency. Handsome period craft cannot disguise the repetition or the film’s excessive faith in its lawmen.

## Synopsis

Retired Texas Rangers Frank Hamer (Kevin Costner) and Manny Gault (Woody Harrelson) take to the road in pursuit of Bonnie and Clyde. The outlaws have attracted a following, and the two men must track a pair whose exploits already command public attention. Around them are Ma Ferguson (Kathy Bates), Lee Simmons (John Carroll Lynch) and Deputy Ted Hinton (Thomas Mann). Hamer and Gault bring their experience to the chase, along with different temperaments and a tendency to argue in the car. The pursuit follows the men doing the tracking, keeping the celebrated outlaws at a distance.

## Review

*The Highwaymen* wants to return the Bonnie and Clyde story to the men sent after them, and John Lee Hancock gives those men plenty of time to explain themselves. Too much time, as it turns out. This is a fitfully engaging crime drama whose two leading performances are better than its account of law and order. Its patience is welcome at first, especially when Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson are simply sitting together, but the pursuit rarely develops much pressure.

Kevin Costner plays Frank Hamer with a stubbornness that makes charm seem beside the point. He is convincing as a man who expects his experience to settle an argument. Woody Harrelson gives Manny Gault more warmth and uncertainty, allowing some doubt into the partnership. We laughed at their irritable exchanges in the car, because both actors make the bickering sound like a habit neither man intends to break. Their shared history feels credible without needing constant explanation.

John Fusco’s screenplay is less persuasive when it asks the pair to speak for the film. The weightier speeches explain their attitudes without making those attitudes much more complicated. There is room for unease about the methods of these lawmen, but too often their weariness seems to be offered as sufficient proof that they deserve our trust. The conversations become repetitive because the screenplay keeps returning to a respect for authority it has done too little to test.

John Schwartzman’s cinematography gives the journey broad, golden landscapes, allowing our attention to wander beyond the conversations. Michael Corenblith’s production design makes the period settings look lived in, and there is pleasure in having time to look around them. Neither contribution is helped by how long we are asked to look. After a while, the warmth of the images contributes to a settled, comfortable mood when the pursuit needs something less reassuring.

Robert Frazen’s editing gives the actors room, which is useful when a pause contains irritation or doubt. It becomes a problem when another exchange leaves us much where the previous one did. At 133 minutes, the film allows repetition to pass for thoroughness, while Thomas Newman’s music reinforces the solemn mood without supplying the urgency missing from the scenes. The slow pace is a choice, but it needs to reveal more about these men to justify quite this much time in their company.

A police procedural need not hurry, and there is no reason to object to a film that questions the glamour attached to its criminals. The difficulty here is that Bonnie and Clyde’s public appeal is treated largely as something to disapprove of. Understanding that appeal would make the task of opposing them more interesting. John Lee Hancock spends so much effort correcting their image that his lawmen are allowed comparatively little scrutiny, beyond the doubts Woody Harrelson brings to the partnership.

Admirers of either lead will find stretches worth their time, particularly when the film lets the partnership be funny. We cannot recommend the full journey on that basis: the jokes and the performances have to compensate for too much waiting. For a tense manhunt, we would look elsewhere.

*Fi1m score 55, published 24 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus on The Highwaymen is mixed, with praise concentrated on Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson rather than the pursuit around them. Across favourable and unfavourable reviews, their weary rapport, irritable exchanges and contrasting performances give the film much of its appeal. Some critics also admire the expansive landscapes and period detail, though the leads are the more consistent source of enthusiasm.

The main divide concerns whether this lawmen-centred retelling offers a useful correction to the romanticising of Bonnie and Clyde or merely replaces it with another selective account. The Los Angeles Times welcomes a sober, effective counterpoint; The Guardian regards it as an unconvincing defence of police brutality and reactionary masculinity. Between those poles, reservations cluster around sluggish pacing, familiar procedure and underdeveloped moral questions. The spread is wide, but complaints about a lack of urgency recur even among critics who enjoy the central partnership.

## Straight answers

**Is The Highwaymen worth watching?**

*The Highwaymen* offers good company in Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson, but we score it 55 out of 100 and cannot recommend it as a tense manhunt. Admirers of either actor may enjoy the irritable car conversations and convincing partnership; the repetitive speeches and leisurely 133-minute running time make the full journey harder to justify.

**How long is The Highwaymen, and what is it rated?**

*The Highwaymen* runs 2h 13m. It is a crime and drama film.

**Where can I watch The Highwaymen in India?**

*The Highwaymen* is streaming on Netflix in India. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Highwaymen, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Highwaymen* has a US R certificate, so we would not recommend it for children; no UK certificate is supplied. That rating indicates adult material, but we cannot give a specific account of violence or frightening scenes here: our review describes a solemn, slow-moving pursuit rather than detailing its potentially upsetting content.

**How does The Highwaymen compare to Memories of Murder?**

*The Highwaymen* is the weaker choice beside [*Memories of Murder*](https://film.one/film/memories-of-murder), which we recommend for a patient police investigation that asks sharper questions about its investigators. Costner and Harrelson provide companionable humour, but their film gives its lawmen too much credit; Bong Joon Ho’s procedural is funnier and more unsettling, though its long middle stretch also drags.

**What should I watch after The Highwaymen?**

After *The Highwaymen*, try [*Memories of Murder*](https://film.one/film/memories-of-murder) (2003, Fi1m 91): A patient police investigation with sharper doubts about the men conducting it. Then [*The Straight Story*](https://film.one/film/the-straight-story) (1999, Fi1m 88): For the roads, the ageing traveller and the patience, without the manhunt; and [*Hell or High Water*](https://film.one/film/hell-or-high-water) (2016, Fi1m 84): Pursuing lawmen and sympathetic outlaws share a landscape that explains their choices.

### Reviews we read (22)

- **Los Angeles Times**, Michael Ordoña (85/100, inferred): Ordoña finds the film a sober, effective counterpoint to the romanticized Bonnie and Clyde story. He especially praises Kevin Costner’s grounded performance and the actors’ ability to convey the lawmen’s shared history without clichés. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-the-highwaymen-review-20190314-story.html)
- **Radio Times**, Andrew Collins (4/5): Collins gives the film four stars, presenting it as a retelling of the Bonnie and Clyde story from the lawmen’s perspective. The supplied excerpt singles out the focus on the two retired Texas Rangers. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-1kp14d/the-highwaymen/)
- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (B-): Kohn finds the film a sturdy, well-acted but overly familiar procedural that falls short of making its case against the classic Bonnie and Clyde story. He praises the chemistry between Costner and Harrelson and the cinematography’s expansive golden landscapes. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/the-highwaymen-review-kevin-costner-woody-harrelson-netflix-sxsw-1202050326/)
- **Variety**, Joe Leydon (70/100, inferred): Leydon finds the film workmanlike but engaging, chiefly as a showcase for its well-matched leads. He praises Costner and Harrelson’s chemistry and world-weary performances, while noting that few scenes are conventionally exciting. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/sxsw-film-review-kevin-costner-and-woody-harrelson-in-the-highwaymen-1203159672/)
- **Empire**, Ian Freer (65/100, inferred): Freer finds the film enjoyable but leisurely, with too little excitement or urgency. He singles out the chemistry between Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson as its chief strength. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/highwaymen-2-review/)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page is blocked by a browser check, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the review is available in the provided text. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-highwaymen-2019)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The available page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also does not show what the critic singles out for praise or complaint. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-highwaymen-review/5137611.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The page content is unavailable, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the available text. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/14/movies/the-highwaymen-review.html)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (60/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the film well-acted and somber, but says its ideas about changing law enforcement remain underdeveloped. He praises the time spent with Costner and Harrelson, whose contrasting performances anchor the laconic road movie. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/03/the-highwaymen-netflix-movie-review.html)
- **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (C): Hassenger finds the film a plodding, dull drama with little to say about its criminals or lawmen. He singles out Costner and Harrelson’s irritable, car-bound exchanges as the moments that give it some life. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/kevin-costner-and-woody-harrelson-are-together-at-last-1833533407)
- **Slant Magazine**, Chuck Bowen (2/4): Bowen finds the film’s reactionary outlook and stodgy classicism tedious, despite its dogged intensity. He praises Kevin Costner’s commanding, unsentimental performance as Frank Hamer. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-with-much-stodginess-the-highwaymen-takes-aim-at-bonnie-and-clydes-legend/)
- **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (3/2/2): The critic finds the film a dull, unconvincing exercise in revisionist history. They single out its selective celebration of Frank Hamer while overlooking the troubling history bound up with his career. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-highwaymen)
- **The Independent**, Clarisse Loughrey (2/5): The critic finds the film’s sermon against romanticising Bonnie and Clyde tiresome and directionless. She praises the performances of Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson, but faults the film for avoiding why the outlaws appealed to the public. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-highwaymen-review-bonnie-and-clyde-netflix-cast-kevin-costner-woody-harrelson-a8842201.html)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, THR Staff (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film workmanlike and artistically inferior to its predecessor, criticizing its self-righteous lack of nuance. Costner and Harrelson give fine performances, but the review faults the film’s heavy-handed dramatic monologues. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/highwaymen-1193763/)
- **The Guardian**, Charles Bramesco (10/100, inferred): Bramesco finds the film an odious, unconvincing defense of its lawmen protagonists. He criticizes its efforts to excuse police brutality and its reactionary, insecure view of masculinity. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/mar/10/the-highwaymen-review-netflix-kevin-costner-woody-harrelson)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (3/5): Crow finds the film old-fashioned but worthwhile, though it softens its moral exploration of frontier justice. He especially praises Woody Harrelson’s warmth, which helps enliven the long stretches of road-trip conversation. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-highwaymen-review-kevin-costner-woody-harrelson/)
- **/Film**, Matt Donato (5.5 out of 10): Donato finds the film an overlong, sluggish drama whose historical perspective and strong cast cannot sustain its execution. He praises Costner and Harrelson’s performances, while criticizing the repetitive pacing and excessive length. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/564944/the-highwaymen-review/)
- **The Ringer**, Rob Harvilla (50/100, inferred): Harvilla finds the film an OK, occasionally splendid hang, but ultimately an anticlimactic and overly scolding experience. He praises Costner and Harrelson’s charisma and the film’s handsome period details and vistas. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2019/03/29/movies/netflix-highwaymen-review-kevin-costner-woody-harrelson)
- **Collider**, Eric Vespe (D): The critic finds the film dull and overly familiar, despite its strong cast. He singles out the scene between Kevin Costner and William Sadler as its most dynamic moment. [Read](https://collider.com/the-highwaymen-review-costner-and-harrelson-hunt-bonnie-and-clyde/)
- **The Wrap** (35/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an interesting reframing of Bonnie and Clyde’s story, but says its slow pace keeps it from being entertaining or gripping. They praise the choice to keep Bonnie and Clyde’s faces hidden until the end, and single out the carefully tailored costumes for reinforcing the characters’ image and reality. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/the-highwaymen-film-review-woody-harrelson-kevin-costner-bonnie-clyde-netflix/)
- **Consequence**, Randall Colburn (30/100, inferred): Colburn finds the film’s revisionist mission intriguing but says its languid pace and one-dimensional treatment of Bonnie and Clyde undermine it. He praises the rapport and performances of Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson, especially Harrelson’s humor and vulnerability. [Read](https://consequence.net/2019/03/film-review-highwaymen/)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (30/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the film slow and undermined by its retrograde attitude toward women. She praises the rumpled pairing of Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson as its main source of fun. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-highwaymen-2019-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)

## Details

- **Director:** John Lee Hancock
- **Director:** John Lee Hancock
- **Writer:** John Fusco
- **Cinematography:** John Schwartzman
- **Editor:** Robert Frazen
- **Music:** Thomas Newman
- **Production design:** Michael Corenblith
- **Producer:** Casey Silver
- **Cast:** Kevin Costner as Frank Hamer; Woody Harrelson as Manny Gault; Kathy Bates as Ma Ferguson; John Carroll Lynch as Lee Simmons; Thomas Mann as Deputy Ted Hinton; Dean Denton as Deputy Bob Alcorn; Kim Dickens as Gladys Hamer; William Sadler as Henry Barrow
- **Runtime:** 2h 13m
- **First release (the US):** 10 March 2019
- **Genres:** Crime, Drama, Thriller
- **Budget:** $49 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH6vC-BBKOc

## Where to watch in India

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-24.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Friends of Eddie Coyle* (1973): Another weary crime story, with more danger in its unhurried conversations.
- *Memories of Murder* (2003), Fi1m 91: A patient police investigation with sharper doubts about the men conducting it. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/memories-of-murder.md)
- *The Straight Story* (1999), Fi1m 88: For the roads, the ageing traveller and the patience, without the manhunt. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-straight-story.md)
- *Hell or High Water* (2016), Fi1m 84: Pursuing lawmen and sympathetic outlaws share a landscape that explains their choices. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hell-or-high-water.md)
- *Le Cercle Rouge* (1970): An unhurried crime film whose silences keep tightening the pressure.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-highwaymen