Movie Reviews

Based on the book “The Wettest Country In The World’, “Lawless” centers around the Bondurant brothers, three bootlegging brothers in Prohibition-era Frankly Country, Virginia. The leader of the bunch is Forrest (the always amazing Tom Hardy) who gradually softens by his feelings for Maggie (Jessica Chastain), a former hooker. Then there is Howard (Jason Clarke) who could do with an anger management class or two. Rounding out this bunch is Jack (Shia LaBeouf), the youngest of the three brothers and still in search of his balls at the start of the movie.

Jack toughens up quick enough though once the bad guy rolls into town in the form of Special Deputy Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce), a nasty piece of work who strongly believes the end justifies the means. It lends the Bondurant brothers a Robin Hood kind of air that even the preacher’s daughter Bertha (Mia Wasikowska) finds hard to resist as she falls for Jack, much to the dismay of her father.

With a cast like that and with rocker Nick Cave in screenwriter mode and The Proposition’s John Hillcoat behind the helm, it’s needless to say that expectations were high for “Lawless”. And while it certainly is a nice piece of cinematography that looks beautiful and has you rooting for the outlaw brothers, it lacks the sort of epic grandeur you’re hoping for with this kind of story.