Lawless (2012)

lawless movie posterTom Hardy (The Dark Knight RisesWarrior) is quickly establishing himself as a leading man in Hollywood. Since really coming onto the radar after 2010’s Inception, Hardy went on to win audiences over in the surprisingly good Warrior before donning a mask as Bane and becoming 2012 biggest villain in The Dark Knight Rises. In a movie full of top-notch acting, Hardy turns in the performance of his young career in John Hillcoat’s (The Road, The PropositionLawless.

Based in 1920 Franklin, Virginia, Lawless is the true story of the notorious Bondurants, three bootlegging brothers who brewed moonshine in their mountain home and sold it to anyone and everyone (including the local police) within driving distance who was interested in purchasing their illegal liquor. Despite their young age (all three brothers are probably nearly 30), the Bondurants are legends. They have brushed death numerous times and are thought, by some, to be invincible. They are feared and respected by local authorities and the other moonshiners in the area. Though they are breaking the law by selling alcohol during Prohibition, most illegal activities they do early on in the movie are not enforced. Prohibition was a national law not necessarily supported by many local jurisdictions in the United States. There were many other bootleggers in Franklin County at the time. It was a business just like any other business. You succeeded if you could offer a quality product at a reasonable price. For the most part, rival bootleggers stayed out of each other’s ways so long as you didn’t cross anyone. The opportunity was there for many to take a shot at the American dream. The Bondurants seized their opportunities and achieved greatness…at least early on.

Forrest is the middle-aged Bondurant brother but is the unquestioned leader. Younger brother Jack (Shia LaBeouf – Transformers, Disturbia) and older brother Howard (Jason Clarke – Public Enemies, Death Race) follow Forrest’s leave. Howard provides additional muscle and isn’t afraid to “get dirty,” while Jack is the youngest of the three brothers. He doesn’t have the same tendencies for violence as his two brothers and serves mainly as the driver. When not bootlegging, the brothers run a small restaurant. This is also where they do a lot of their business. As their market expands, so does their stature. Their product is one of the best around, and soon people from parts far outside of Franklin County, VA, are taking day-long journeys to buy from the men. Aside from the occasional brush-up with locals looking to rob them of their cash right after a big sale that Forrest and Howard “take care of instantly,” life is good.

The problem arises United State Special Agent Charley Rakes (Guy Pearce – Memento, The Proposition) wants to get in on the action. He hooks up with local law enforcement officials to meet individually with the different bootlegging groups in Franklin County and tells them the price for conducting business. If any group fails to share their profits with Rakes and his men, their operation will be shut down. Since Forrest doesn’t like hearing what to do, he rejects Rakes’s proposal. If Hardy’s Bane in The Dark Knight Rises was the summer’s top villain, then Pearce’s Rakes is a close second. He is an arrogant and violent man nobody seems to care for. With his slick-backed hair, his top-of-the-line suits, and his use of hand gloves to pulverize those who don’t do what he says, his unauthorized use of power is quite unsettling. If anything, Pearce upstages Hardy and LeBeouf. His character, at times, is too much of a focus. He could have spent less time on the screen and been just as menacing. I preferred to see more of how the brothers interact during quiet times or more of the back story regarding Hardy’s Forrest. Instead, we get the overdeveloped, ruthless Rakes. In most other movies, this would have been fine. In Lawless, however, there are so many great acting performances that it would have been better to “spread the wealth,” so to speak.

While Hardy turned in the movie’s best performance, LaBeouf was awesome. I am not a Shia LaBeouf fan. He’s very overrated and a little full of himself. While I liked some of his performances early in his career, I thought he was terrible in the Transformer movies. He also seems to be in the headlines all too much. I went into this movie thinking I would try to enjoy it despite him being in it. However, I enjoyed it so much partially because of his performance. It’s hard for me to take him seriously as a tough guy, but seeing him in a movie where he is openly vulnerable and often put in his place was refreshing. I’m glad he embraced the role and performed so well at it. He was the perfect “little brother” for Hardy’s Forrest.

Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Jessica Chastain (The Help, Take Shelter), Mia Wasikowska (Albert Nobbs, Alice In Wonderland), and Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, Amigo) are all excellent in supporting roles. Oldman has just a few short scenes in this movie, but those scenes are memorable. Chastain established herself as a mainstay in Hollywood after 2011, seeing her star in six films. Wasikowska is the daughter of a preacher and the object of Jack’s affection. DeHaan is Jack’s disabled best friend and the one most responsible for developing the moonshine.

It’s a decent movie. Its biggest problem was that it was based on a true story. It didn’t evoke much of an emotional response from the audience. It wasn’t as exciting as it could have been. It would take a turn when you expected a scene to go in a certain direction. Often the turns were less than heroic and anything but dramatic. I would still recommend it. If nothing else, it’s a fascinating history lesson with some excellent acting.

Plot 8/10
Character Development 8/10
Character Chemistry 9/10
Acting 9/10
Screenplay 7.5/10
Directing  8.5/10
Cinematography 8.5/10
Sound 8.5/10
Hook and Reel 8/10
Universal Relevance 8/10
83%

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