A slow-building thriller about a father who goes on the run with his 9 year old daughter, She Rides Shotgun is a great journey that highlights a beautiful performance by Ana Sophia Heger.
I wasn’t familiar with Ana Sophia Heger before this movie. With only six credits to her name (one being toddler Lark in the television comedy Life In Pieces), it’s not surprising. She hasn’t been in enough to be truly recognized. Well, here’s hoping that studio heads, directors, and producers watch this film, because this kid is really going places.
She Rides Shotgun is about Polly, a 9 year old girl who lives with her mother and step-dad. One day, her mom is very late picking her up from school and her biological father, ex-con Nathan, arrives instead. He hurriedly ushers her into the car, where she discovers wires under the steering wheel, a busted window, and some of her things in the backseat. Dying her hair blonde and keeping her in hiding, Nathan explains that people are after them.
I really enjoyed this film. The first two acts are solid, with tension right from the beginning, and a mystery throughout. With constant shaky-cam filming and ominous music, you are never quite settled and always leery about what might be coming and from who.
The third act is spectacular. I didn’t realize that I had dialed into the movie quite as much as I had until I reached this point. It is mesmerizing and heart-wrenching, wanting this child to be okay, and seeing how strong she is when you don’t want her to have to be.
Much of She Rides Shotgun is a story about Polly gradually giving up her childhood until there are only shreds left. Nathan realizes the position he has put her in, and he – and you – mourn for the strength she has built. You love it for her and hate it for her, because she is a smart and precocious kid who should get to be a kid.
Ana Sophia Heger is the heart of this film as Polly. The intensity on her face, the way she carries herself, and the reactions that she has to the tumultuous situations she finds herself in are striking. She is very special and this role highlights that fact.
Taron Egerton (who is also a producer) plays Nathan, with an intensity and roughness that I haven’t seen from him before. He is very good, but there is one moment – about 3 seconds where he realizes that his actions have put Polly in a place to lose her innocence – that stands out above the rest.
I also want to mention Rob Yang’s performance as a detective who is trying to find Polly. There is an earnestness to him, a strange likeability. There are a lot of cops in a lot of movies, but Yang stuck out in a way that made me feel like his subtleties were notable. I can’t name them for you, I just really liked him.
She Rides Shotgun is a film that seems to have flown under the radar, so I’m glad to be able to tell you about it. With a pressure that rises at a steady and welcome pace, it will sneak up on you. Then, suddenly, you may find yourself crying, like I did.
Runtime: 120 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Yep, I cried
My Rating: 4.25/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I wasn’t familiar with Ana Sophia Heger before this movie. With only six credits to her name (one being toddler Lark in the television comedy Life In Pieces), it’s not surprising. She hasn’t been in enough to be truly recognized. Well, here’s hoping that studio heads, directors, and producers watch this film, because this kid is really going places.
