She Rides Shotgun, directed by Nick Rowland, is a crime thriller that, in many ways, feels familiar: a lovable, broken hero, a seemingly impossible goal, and—no spoilers—a painfully predictable ending. Still, the film sets itself apart with a consistently tense tone and a passionate performance from Taron Egerton (Rocketman; Kingsman). Egerton takes on an atypical role as a hardened ex-con father on the run, a far cry from his well-known portrayals of Elton John and Eggsy Unwin.
Based on the novel by Jordan Harper, the film’s characters have complex histories and motivations. The story builds raw tension, occasionally undercut by emotional clichés. While the plot is somewhat predictable and the father-daughter scenes feel overly familiar, Egerton’s performance combined with strong direction and striking cinematography help elevate the film.
The most praiseworthy aspect of the movie is Taron Egerton’s acting. While he's best known for Rocketman, the Kingsman franchise, and Eddie the Eagle, She Rides Shotgun marks a notable departure from his previous roles. It's grittier and demonstrates his ability to move beyond the charming, pretty-boy archetype. His character, Nate, is dangerous, violent, and unreliable. Yet Egerton delivers such a sincere performance that he compels the audience to root for him—not an easy task when you consider Nate’s rap sheet.
Egerton embodies Nate both physically and emotionally. Nate’s character is best revealed through his relationship with his daughter, Polly (Ana Sophia Heger). Their bond is the emotional core of the film and gives us a reason to care. At times, their interactions can feel contrived or emotionally manipulative, but both actors’ commitment allows the relationship to ultimately have an impact. The chemistry between Nate and Polly raises the story’s stakes and endears Nate to the audience—crucial for the story’s believability.
And the movie does need a bit of help with believability. It’s the story of an ex-con taking his daughter on the run while dealing with gang violence, crooked cops, and one of the largest drug empires in the Southwest. While exciting, viewers have to suspend disbelief at times to fully enjoy the car chases and other over-the-top elements.
Audiences also need to practice a bit of cognitive dissonance to appreciate Nate as a character. Yes, he’s a loving father doing his best, but he’s also a violent murderer and drug-trafficking gangster. Egerton does a strong job portraying both sides of Nate, but the character is, in general, a tough sell.
Nate and Polly’s story feels both fantastical and predictable, but the film’s commitment to rawness and sincerity often bridges those gaps and keeps the story engaging. And while the ending feels like a foregone conclusion, the pacing and tone sustain our interest throughout.
Tone, in fact, is one of the film’s strongest assets. The atmosphere is consistently tense, with a sense of danger hanging in the air. It's a credit to director Rowland and writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski that the feeling of being hunted persists so effectively throughout.
Collins and Piotrowski have previously collaborated on several horror films, including Hellraiser. Though She Rides Shotgun is a thriller, it carries a level of tension and dread eerily reminiscent of a horror film.
The sound editors masterfully use silence to build suspense, while cinematographer Wyatt Garfield emphasizes moody landscapes and dusty roads to underscore the setting’s grittiness. There’s also a striking contrast between the vast openness of the American West and the confined spaces Nate and Polly inhabit: the car, a friend’s house, motels, a church. This visual tension reinforces the characters' conflicting feelings of confinement and freedom. That same contrast appears again on Polly’s face in the chilling final scene. The visuals of this movie convey much tension without any words.
She Rides Shotgun is a film I’d recommend to fans of crime thrillers or Taron Egerton, but it may not have broad, universal appeal. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it offers a suspenseful, gripping story—and proves that Egerton is capable of far more than just charm and swagger.
She Rides Shotgun is now playing in theaters.
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