Movie Review: Lawless

Directed by John Hillcoat and adapted by Australian musician Nick Cave from the Matt Bondurant novel The Wettest County In The World, Lawless is a prohibition-era gangster film set in Virginia.  Based on a true story, the film follows notorious bootleggers the Bondurant Brothers, whose operation and lives are threatened by the sudden arrival of Special Agent Charlie Rakes from Chicago.  Lawless stars Tom Hardy, Shia Labeouf, Guy Pearce, and Jessica Chastain.

I found Lawless to be an emotionally captivating and aesthetically pleasing film.  Solid performances and impressive camera-work compliment this well-crafted bootleggin’ story nicely.  Cave has adapted a suspenseful epic laced with themes of loyalty and trust, with unpredictable direction, relentless violence,  and an intense finale.

Though LaBeouf’s roles are often hit (Disturbia, Holes) or miss (any of the Transformer movies), his naive, child-like demeanor suits his character well.  Hardy seems to have been perfectly cast as the fearless older brother who stands by his principals.  Gary Oldman and Chastain also have notable roles in the film. And Guy Pearce pulls off the perfect bad guy.  He plays the type of villain that you can’t help but despise from the first scene he appears in.

I have no complaints about Lawless.  I found the film to be thoroughly entertaining and am confident that it will satisfy anyone with a hankerin’ for a gangster flick.  I look forward to seeing the next film Nick Cave is involved with.

8/10 Bootleggers!