Lawless

Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!



Today's review is Lawless.



Directed by John Hillcoat.

Written by Nick Cave.



Based on the novel "The Wettest County in the World" written by Matt Bondurant.

Review #172

MPAA Rating: R for strong bloody violence, language and some sexuality/nudity.

Run Time: 116 min

Cast

Shia LaBeouf ... Jack Bondurant

Tom Hardy ... Forrest Bondurant

Jason Clarke ... Howard Bondurant

Guy Pearce ... Charlie Rakes

Jessica Chastain ... Maggie Beauford

Mia Wasikowska ... Bertha Minnix

Dane DeHaan ... Cricket Pate

Chris McGarry ... Danny

Tim Tolin ... Mason Wardell

Gary Oldman ... Floyd Banner

Gangster and prohibition stories have been out for as long as I can remember. Good gangster and prohibition stories are another matter entirely. The gold standard story could arguably be HBO's Boardwalk Empire. I find it hard to find another that rivals the drama and action of that point of history.

Until now.

Plot

Set in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by a new deputy and other authorities who want a cut of their profits. 

This movie can be best described in two words. Tom Hardy. This guy is on a serious roll. His portrayal of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises may have given him some tinseltown clout, but his name has been around way before that. Since his small role as Clarkie in Layer Cake. Hardy has put together a very impressive filmography on both the big and small screen. The man is more than an actor. He's a performer. He can say more with a look than most can when spitting out page after page of dialogue.

I almost put him on Denzel's turf.

Am I saying that Hardy is on the same plane as Washington? Of course not. What I am saying is that Hardy has this uncanny ability to get his point across without saying a single word. This is an ability patented by Denzel. Watch any movie he's in and study his facial expressions. Washington's eyes can peer straight into your soul and tell you what's going on in his head. Best example is American Gangster. He plays Frank Lucas with a stoicism that is unrivaled in a film of that genre. Hardy did that masterfully as Bane. He had no choice with the mask on but that's besides the point. He does that again here as Forrest.

As the leader of the Bondurant moonshine business, his character carries a legend that precedes his nature and demeanor. He also carries quite a punch as well. It was obvious that he filmed this movie right after The Dark Knight Rises because his hulking frame was still visible. Whether it was intentional to keep Hardy built up or not doesn't change the fact that his look and portrayal of Forrest was effective. The man spoke softly but carried a big ass stick. Hardy drove fear into the hearts of anyone who dared to oppose him. Including his brothers. There are two specific scenes that illustrate that to a tee.

I would love to get deeper into what they were but as you know....I don't/can't do that.

Bottom line is that Hardy's performance is the driving force of this film that it loaded with fine performances by a very star studded cast. Coming in second is Guy Pearce as Rakes. He's such a vile man that you can't wait for his comeuppance. You know it's coming but you can't sit still until it happens. He was a great antagonist to the brothers and the other moonshiner's in the county he raids. Finally, Shia LeBeouf rounds out the crew. Playing the runt of the litter as Rakes puts it in the film. Jack has this deer in the headlights disposition. Yet a drive and desire to be part of the family business in a more hands on capacity. LaBeaouf plays that dynamic with just the right amount of balance between gangster wannabe and lightweight coward. The one thing he shows off in spades is his loyalty to his big brother. Forrest was a role model to Jack and all he wanted was to be like him.

The rest of the cast was more than fine in this movie. The problem is that some of their importance to the overall story was not very weight bearing in the big picture. The biggest example is Gary Oldman's Floyd Banner. At first glance it seemed that his character was going to play a major role in the film when in reality he was just passing through. Literally and figuratively. It's a shame because Oldman is such a talented actor. He just felt like a throwaway and Oldman is not a throwaway type. There was a surprise though. Dane DeHaan's performance as Cricket could be argued as one of the best in the film. It's by far the sleeper one of the entire film.

Cricket's character aside, Oldman's lack of depth in this film is what gives Lawless it's biggest problem overall. While the secondary characters all played a role in the story. There were instances while watching that I felt they weren't needed at all. You'll know who I mean when you see it. Because of their involvement, Lawless has a slight feel of draggy-ness. It's subtle but evident if you're playing close enough attention. This is a small nitpick to an otherwise very good film that featured some fine performances. Highlighted by Tom Hardy.

This dude is no joke.

On the 5 star scale. Lawless gets 3.5 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.

That's a wrap for today. Up next is The Intouchables.

Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"