12 Movies In 2016 That Should Have Flopped (But Didn't)

Starring Chris Pine and Ben Foster as brothers who commit a series of bank heists in the barren wastelands of west Texas, director David Mackenzie’s Hell or High Water became the indie hit of the summer and one of 2016’s most critically adored movies. Released amidst a summer blockbuster season crammed with R-rated comedies and big budget action flicks, the gritty neo-Western was a refreshing change of pace. While its box office takings totalled a modest $31 million that profit is all the more impressive considering its lack of big studio backing and relatively limited theatrical release.

Its gripping screenplay, stunning cinematography and character studies – including a star turn from Pine and Jeff Bridges in his best role since True Grit, proving that the Western really is his best genre – have earned Hell or High Water a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score and a tonne of award nominations. If all goes well, it could find itself nominated for a couple of Oscars too.