Lawless (2012)

An Exercise In Nonsense

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

John Hillcoat may not be the most prolific of directors, (just 6 feature films in 30 years), but with a John Hillcoat film you know precisely what you are going to get; gritty, extremely violent, male-orientated entertainments that, more likely or not, will be visually stunning and probably with a screenplay by Nick Cave. "Lawless" is archetypal Hillcoat. Apparently based on a true story it's set in Depression-era Virginia and is about a trio of bootlegger brothers , (Tom Hardy, Shia LeBeouf and Jason Clarke), who are targeted by a corrupt Deputy Sheriff, (Guy Pearce), and again Nick Cave wrote the screenplay and again it is almost sickeningly violent which means it's not going to appeal to everyone.Despite the talent involved, (and that includes cinematographer Benoit Delhomme and composers Cave and Warren Ellis), this is one of Hillcoat's lesser films. There are too many characters and too many star names, (Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain and Mia Waiskowska are also involved), and too meandering a plot but even lesser Hillcoat is a cut above most of what passes for multiplex entertainment these days. Surprisingly, Hillcoat has remained more of a cult director than someone commanding the mainstream and maybe that's for the best. He may not be the most prolific of directors and his films may not bag loads of money but at least he has kept his cinematic dignity.

During prohibition in Franklin Co. Virginia, three restaurant entrepreneur brothers operate an illegal moonshine business. Unfortunately everyone wants a piece of the pie, one that they are not eager to share. The brothers consist of Forrest (Tom Hardy), the brains and philosopher of the group. Howard (Jason Clarke) is a berserker, and Jack (Shia LaBeouf) is the shy driver. Jack is sweet on a Mennonite preacher's daughter (Mia Wasikowska) who likes his "bad boy" image.Guy Pearce plays Charlie Rakes, a one sided unlikable crooked deputy who makes us root for the moonshiners. Jessica Chastain provides a little style to the film as a city girl (former feather dancer) who wants to get away from Chicago and winds up working the restaurant for Forrest.As things pan out, young Jack must suddenly grow himself a set and take over the family enterprise against the odds. Good acting. High intensity.Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity (Malinda Baker), implied rape.

It is about three brothers who are running an illegal but successful business which soon attracts attention they don't want and trouble ensues. There is quite a lot of action in this film but it is mostly about the drama and the different things each character goes through. There are some fantastic actors in this film who all show their versatility and most notable for me was Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf who did an amazing job of making their characters real to the audience and made you really care for them. It is quite a long film but so many different things happen and it kept me glued from start to finish. There are some very grim scenes, some intense action, emotional scenes and of course romance and even a few comical moments - I think this film has a bit of everything. This film is not all about the action so don't expect it to be, but the main element is the theme of brotherhood which I loved. Also the fact that Lawless is based on a true story made it really interesting for me.

This Prohibition-set drama does not quite the reach the heights of the classic entries of the mobster genre, but it certainly offers a compelling, if somewhat flawed rendition of crime story set during the roaring twenties. The masterhand behind this violent tale is director John Hillcoat ('The Road'), who takes the pages of Matt Bondurant's novel 'The Wettest County in The World' and constructs a violent, but polished look into the sobering world of law vs. men where the law officials and the law breakers swap sides on the moral compass. Set in 1931 Virginia, this film stars Shia Labeouf as Jack Bondurant, a timid young man who runs an illegal bootlegging operation with his brothers Forrest (played by Tom Hardy) and Howard (played by Jason Clarke). When their unlawful business captures the eyes of a corrupt law official Charley Rakes (played by Guy Pierce), he and his henchmen including the sadistic Floyd Banner (played by Gary Oldman) make it their mission to shut their brothers' business down. When the brothers rebel against the vicious lawmen, Rakes wages war against the brothers that puts their waitress Maggie Beauford (played by Jessica Chastain) and their mentally impaired friend Cricket (played by Dane DeHaan) in grave danger. As a historical outlaw vs. law enforcement crime-drama, this one is neither derivative nor out of the ordinary. But it offers a riveting rendition of a trio of outlaws caught in the crossfires of corrupt lawmen who threaten to tear them down. From the cogent storytelling, to the sharp commentary of corruption in the law enforcement, to the sleek visual imagery of 1930s Virginia, John Hillcoat leaves solid proves that he knows the Prohibition genre quite well. The story journeys through a blood-soaked conflict between the three main character and the antagonist that though offers some visceral thrills, suffers from an inconsistent pacing during the first half and is a little uneven at various points with numerous subplots thrown crowding around. One of the subplots such as the romance between Shia Labeouf and Mia Wasikowska is somewhat charming and peppers a small dose of levity in the dark atmosphere, but perhaps doesn't quite sizzle. However, Hillcoat delivers just enough tension between the protagonists and the sadistic antagonists to keep the story in momentum. When our characters engage in violent episodes of western-style shootouts that end in bloodshed, that is when the tension reaches its peak. While these sequences show a rather harsh edge, they serve as the main source for propelling the plot.Shia LaBeouf gives an astonishingly sincere performance in his role that defies expectations from he brought to his loathed role in the 'Transformers' franchise. Tom Hardy is very compelling as the quiet, but stern brain of the bootlegging operation as is Jason Clarke as the more brooding brother of the trio. These three prove to be very believable as the main trio, and the camaraderie they establish throughout the picture is surprisingly quite subtle. The real force to be reckoned with though, comes from Guy Pearce with his powerful performance as the ruthless antagonist. Gary Oldman who is no stranger for stepping in villainous roles, is exactly many would expect him to be: a sadistic villain with blood for vengeance. Whether this performance falls in the category of Oscar caliber is debatable. Dane DeHaan delivers a nice impression of his role as the mentally impaired buddy of Shia Labeouf, a performance that pays fair nostalgia to Leonardo Dicaprio's role in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape'. Jessica Chastain who plays their waitress is effectively charming as is Mia Wasikowska as the rebellious daughter of a church minister and later becomes the lover of Shia LaBeouf's character; nothing in the performance department to disappoint.Lawless may not be as powerful and enthralling as the critically crime-dramas of today, but is very engaging and entertaining experience with decent performances, a visceral outlaw story, and the fine script that works just fine. It is violent and startlingly brutal at various times, but paints an authentic picture on the crime life during the Prohibition era.