She Rides Shotgun
July 30th, 2025
MOVIE: SHE RIDES SHOTGUN
STARRING: TARON EGERTON, ANA SOPHIA HEGER, ODESSA A’ZION, ROB YANG
DIRECTED BY: NICK ROWLAND
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: R
RUN TIME: 120 MINUTES
Adapted from Jordan Harper’s award-winning novel, She Rides Shotgun is the story of a father and daughter, but not in the sentimental sense. This isn’t a celebration of “girl dads” or a bid for Father of the Year. Director Nick Rowland, who co-wrote the screenplay with three collaborators, avoids anything resembling cute. This is a tense, raw crime drama about a man and his daughter on the run from the law. The result is authentic, unflinching, and emotionally charged, anchored by powerful performances from Taron Egerton and newcomer Ana Sophia Heger.
The film opens with 8-year-old Polly (Heger) waiting outside school. While her parents are often late, something feels different this time. A concerned teacher checks in, but Polly insists her mom is on the way. Instead, her father Nathan (Egerton) pulls up. Recently released from prison and visibly on edge, Nathan isn’t just picking her up—he’s dragging her into the consequences of something terrible he’s done. The police are after him, and now Polly is in the crossfire.
In the spirit of A Perfect World and The Road, the film evolves into a road movie—one where guilt, violence, and fractured trust replace bonding moments. Nathan is a man driven by rage and regret, and while Polly doesn’t fully grasp what’s happening, her growing suspicions reveal a sharp intuition beyond her years. The tension builds not just from the law chasing them, but from the emotional reckoning between a damaged man and his daughter.
She Rides Shotgun thrives because it balances its three acts with precision. The first explores the fragile father-daughter dynamic. The second introduces an FBI agent (played with gravitas by Rob Yang) determined to rescue Polly. The final act tightens the noose, involving a crooked cop and a violent white nationalist group led by a chilling John Carroll Lynch, forcing Nathan into confrontation with the past that landed him in prison. These plot threads merge into a gripping blend of suspense and character study. While the characters are rich and emotionally grounded, some pacing issues occasionally stall the film’s rhythm.
Egerton delivers one of his strongest performances to date, shedding his action-star persona for something grittier and more vulnerable. He’s matched scene-for-scene by Heger, whose emotional precision signals a promising future. Rowland’s direction favors grounded realism over flashiness. While the film could benefit from a few more set pieces to amplify the thrills, the environments feel tactile and lived-in.
She Rides Shotgun is raw, real, and deeply affecting. As a thriller, it’s absorbing. As a portrayal of how adult mistakes scar the innocent, it hits hard. It’s not easy to watch—but it’s well worth the ride.
3 STARS
SHE RIDES SHOTGUN IS PLAYING IN SELECT THEATERS FRIDAY, AUGUST 1ST, 2025.
Written by: Leo Brady
