Hell or High Water Movie Quotes

Hell or High Water movie quotes follow the story of two brothers who perform a string of bank robberies to gather money to save their Texas ranch. The crime film was written by Taylor Sheridan and directed by David Mackenzie. After appearing at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, Hell or High Water opened in theaters in the United States on August 12, 2016.

In Hell or High Water, divorced father Toby (Chris Pine) contacts his ex-con older brother Tanner (Ben Foster) after the bank seeks to foreclose on their family's ranch. The brothers learn that they have just days to pay the balance of the loan or lose it completely. Since neither are rich, they decide to rob banks to steal enough money to pay off the loan.

So while their robberies are generally well-planned and successful, they do attract the attention of Texas Rangers Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and Alberto (Gil Birmingham). As the two investigate the robberies, they learn that the brothers are not the only ones who feel robbed by banks and looking for some vengeance.

Hell or High Water joined the 2016 movie season which also featured other great films such as Florence Foster Jenkins, Pete's Dragon, Nine Lives, and Suicide Squad.

Billy: You know the bank loaned just enough to keep your mama poor, thought they could swipe her land. Now they can foreclose on Friday so come hell or high water, get the money to the bank on Thursday and then you are free and clear. 

Billy explains to Tanner and Toby the financial trouble their family ranch is in, which is now theirs to handle. It seems easy, just show up with the outstanding balance, but two guys who were raised poor and have been poor all their lives, finding that money is incredibly difficult.

Tanner: It's a big bank.
Toby: It's too big.
Tanner: That's what she said... Little brother, let's go get that money.
Toby: Good morning, folks! Open the drawers!
Tanner: You got a gun on you, old man?
Old Man: You're damn right I got a gun on me. Y'all going to steal my gun too?
Toby: We ain't stealing from you. We're stealing from the bank.

Tanner and Toby rob a Texas bank and, in turn, take a gun from an old man customer. They remark, however, that they're not robbing the man, the bank is their only target.

Alberto: You hear about these bank robberies? You may get to have some fun before they send you off to the rocking chair yet.
Marcus: I may have one hunt left in me. 

Texas Rangers Alberto and Marcus talk about the string of bank robberies that have been going around. While Marcus isn't the youngest person qualified to take the job, he thinks he has one more good rodeo in him.

Marcus: These boys know what they're doing. They're trying to raise a certain amount. That's my guess. 

Marcus thinks he understands the motive for the bank robberies. He's right. They're trying to raise enough money to pay the bank for their ranch and they're going to use the bank's own money to do so.

Marcus: I think I got these boys figured.
Detective: He's got no record. He's never been arrested. He don't fit the bill, Marcus.

When Marcus thinks he's identified the suspects of the bank robberies, another detective disagrees. Indeed, Toby has no criminal record but he's not completely innocent.

Marcus: Y'all been here a while?
Cowboy: Long enough to watch the bank getting robbed, whose been robbing me for 30 years

After another bank robbery, Marcus asks some local cowboys if they are aware of the crime. They are, but mention that the bank has been robbing them for years too.

Toby: You may be hearing a lot of things about me and your uncle. 
Justin: Whatever I hear, I won't believe.
Toby: No, you believe it. I did all of it.

In talking to son Justin, Toby warns him of some bad press about to come their way. Toby isn't ashamed of what he's done and will do whatever else is needed to save his family's land.

Alberto: All this was my ancestors' land, until these folks took it, and now it's been taken from them. Except it ain't no army doing it, it's those sons of bitches right there.

Texas Ranger Alberto explains what's going on, the motive for the bank robberies. While it was once Native American land, then stolen, now the banks are trying to take it back from the current owners.

Tanner: Was mama in that bed a while?
Toby: Three months, bag breathing out her neck
...
Toby: It's a good thing you're doing.
Tanner: We're doing, every step of the way

Tanner and Toby talk about what brought them back together, their mother's illness, and what they are doing to save their family's ranch. They might not have been the closest of brothers, but they're in this together every step of the way.

Tanner: You want a little advice? Go see your boys tomorrow.
Toby: You talk like we're not going to get away with this.
Tanner: I ain't never met nobody who got away with anything ever.
Toby: Then why in the hell did you agree to do this?
Tanner: Cause you asked, little brother

Tanner urges Toby to visit his children, which he hasn't seen in many months. Tanner talks as if he doesn't think their bank-robbing spree will end well and that is indeed exactly how he feels.