Set in west Texas, brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) go on a bank-robbing spree to obtain enough money to keep the family ranch. Meanwhile, two Texas Rangers (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham) are sent to pursue the brothers and bring them to justice.

If Hell or High Water sounds like an entertaining but generic heist film, don’t be fooled: this is a terrific movie, definitely my favorite of the year so far. It takes a premise that could have been a throwaway, later summer thriller and instead, makes it a chilling tale of criminal intrigue, small-town hardship and brotherly loyalty.

The highlight of the film is the small but stellar cast. Jeff Bridges is definitely the seasoned veteran. From The Last Picture Show all the way to True Grit, you can never go wrong with casting Bridges, especially in this Neo-western crime drama. Sure enough, he’s great, humanizing a character who might have been hard to like in less-skilled hands.

Chris Pine is also a welcome presence as the younger, more responsible brother, Toby. Pine, always good as a charismatic heartthrob (think Captain Kirk), shows another layer here. Toby’s a father who sincerely wants his kids to have better lives than he did, but is driven to crime because he sees no other way to stop his ranch’s foreclosure. He’s subdued in personality but always engaging, a great protagonist to take us on this road trip.

However, the movie’s standout is Ben Foster as Tanner, the ex-con who never readjusted to life beyond prison walls. Tanner, unlike Toby, is a despicable person, from his dark past to his morally questionable behavior in the present. However, you cannot help but root for him, thanks to the character’s loyalty to his brother and Foster’s performance. Foster has always been a severely underrated actor; he was the standout in films like 3:10 to Yuma and 30 Days of Night and gave Woody Harrelson a run for his money in The Messenger. He deserves all the praise he gets for this performance, and if the Oscars were held tomorrow, he’d be a frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor.

Hell or High Water also does a terrific job of immersing you in the world of small-town Texas. It’s a relatable story of family struggle for anyone who grew up in a dying town, and the lush cinematography brings out the beauty of the an often unforgiving land.

The music also perfectly sets the tone, with a score composed by the great Nick Cave and Warren Ellis and a laundry list of catchy country tracks. Surprisingly, for such an intimate story, the film’s setting is lovingly realized and almost becomes a character in itself.

If you have not yet seen Hell or High Water,  I highly recommend it. It’s a thrilling story told to near perfection with some of the best performances of the year. We may have four months left in 2016, but I’m sure this film will go down as one of the year’s best.