Let me drop my first impression on you: oh my GOD! This movie is AMAZING. And that's pretty much how it continues... But let me get into it properly.
Lawless takes place during the prohibition era in the US, when liquor was illegal and moonshiners made a shitload of money selling their stuff to the mob, who then sold it to the people. Basically. The story here revolves around three brothers; Forrest, Howard and Jack Bondurant. They're bootleggers in West Virginia, and when the authorities, including a new deputy, want to put an end to their profits and control them, trouble ensues. Suddenly, they're not safe anymore, as they refuse to bow down.
This movie has a bunch of actors that would make me watch a movie just because they're in it. Gary Oldman, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce, Mia Wasikowska and the always awesome Tom Hardy... Need I say more?
Okay, so, needless to say, I really enjoyed this movie. Pretty much everything about it was great. I didn't really have any expectations. I didn't even watch the trailer first or check what it was about. I just heard good things from two people I know have good taste, and decided to watch it. And I'm so glad they gave me this tip.
Lawless is about bootlegging, and it is a gangster film, but most of all, I feel it's about family, and trying to get by. These guys did what they had to, to provide for themselves and the community, and the fact that they're brothers makes it all so much more personal. The characters are interesting and are portrayed wonderfully; Howard (Jason Clarke) is a hothead, Jack (Shia LaBeouf) is the youngest and isn't always the best at making decisions and being an adult, while Forrest (Tom Hardy) is the strong, silent type, who kind of holds them all together and seems unkillable. And we've got Gary Oldman in a surprisingly small role, I think, as the mob boss Floyd Banner, not to mention Guy Pearce as the sadistic, disgusting (and I'm not just talking about that appalling hairdo) deputy, Charley Rakes. He does an awesome job. You really can't express in words how much you hate his character, when you see this movie.
Personally, I just fell completely in love with Tom Hardy's character, Forrest. I just love how he's so big and strong and perfectly capable of killing someone, but he's never mean. He's always so calm and stable, barely ever says anything (he mostly just grunts), and he's really kind and protective. Not to mention that he's shy and polite and a real gentleman (especially when it comes to Maggie, one of the lead women, played by Jessica Chastain). And Tom Hardy, as always, plays it all so very, very well. To me, he really is the highlight of this movie.
So, in short, I highly recommend this movie, even if you're not into the genre. It can be pretty bloody and brutal sometimes, but it's all done so beautifully, that it never feels redundant. I give Lawless 5 out of 5 stars.
It is not the violence that sets a man apart. It is the distance that he is prepared to go.
- Forrest
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