Lawless

Home
Smell the Movies
Smell the TV

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Year:	2012
Country of origin:	USA
Director:	John Hillcoat
Genre:	Moody crime thriller
Starring:	Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf,  Jason Clarke, Guy Pearce,  Jessica Chastain
Rating:	4/5
IMDB link:	http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212450/
Tagline:	When the law became corrupt, outlaws became heroes.
Favourite line:	" I'm a Bondurant. We don't lay down for nobody."

Prohibition era moonshine crime thriller

The plot:
In Franklin County, Virginia, three local fellas Forrest Bondurant (Tom Hardy), Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) and Howard Bondurant (Jason Clarke) operate a moonshine production facility, hidden away in the depths of the nearby woods. Their operation, though profitable, is not likely to make them millionaires, but they seem content with their lot in life.
New federal enforcer Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce) decides he is going to lay down some markers, and attempts to intimidate Forrest.
Big mistake.
Instead of backing off, the threesome instead intensify operations, and soon control most of the illegal supply of alcohol in the locality.
One night, hoods employed by Rakes slit Forrest’s throat, and rape his belle.
Forrest survives, and Rakes must surely be counting down the days until judgement comes calling.

It’s good this.
With a gentle pace, the plot is allowed to develop gradually, the film meandering along from point A to point B comfortably enough. Then, as is to be expected in an 18 certificate, come moments of extreme violence, which feel all the more powerful given the relaxed tone of the rest of the film.
Tom Hardy, as ever, is the star turn here, a man seemingly incapable of not being the best thing in every film he’s in. This time around, he’s sporting a bit of a double chin, and a very strong Southern accent that, at times, is nearly as impenetrable as his outing as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.
Guy Pearce, as the effeminate, sexually suspect (he likes women, but there is just the suspicion that he likes nothing better than exposing them to degradation and perversity) Rakes is fantastic, too, and really unnerves, his clipped, precise vocal delivery coupled with his extremely odd mannerisms making for an effective ‘villain’ though, in truth, they are all villains, here.
Director John Hillcoat shows his chops, with some fantastically evocative shooting of woodland scenery that looks so wondrous it’s actually hard to believe it is real. Hillcoat must also be commended for performing the miraculous feat of actually dragging a half decent performance out of the, up until now, perma-bland Shia The Beef, who at least gives the impression he can actually act in this. Still, he can never be truly forgiven for his association with the Transformers franchise, so fuck him.
He’s shit.
Don’t rush to see it at the cinema, kids, as this is a movie that doesn’t really benefit, but this is a clear recommendation.
Proper film in every regard.