REVIEW: Lawless

The right to business and to make money has always been an American staple, even when it's breaking the law. In this case the law being broken is prohibition and the people breaking it are the Bondurant family of Virginia.

This back woods family is being led by Forrest Bondurant (Tom Hardy), a nonsense man that can travel between simple and violent in no time flat. His brother Howard (Jason Clarke) is a drunk that bleeds back woods, when he's sober. And the runt of this rather large litter is Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf), a fast talking schemer with rich dreams filled with fast earned respect.

This family thrives on locals with its simple business of moonshining. Providing enough booze for local events was their biggest worry until the big city and greedy politicians start wanting a piece of the action. Words are the first salvo into the area followed closely by violence at the hands of a government approved enforcer named Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce). A clean and direct psychopath that enjoys the pain he causes and the anguish that comes from his every step.

This war in the mountains begins when the immoveable Forrest clashes with the unstoppable Rakes and only gets worse as young Jack decides to expand the business. Money, pain and power become family values as gunfire echoes across county lines.

Lawless is a great period movie that is not sold correctly in the trailers. This movie is about a country family fighting corrupt local law. Not about bank robbery or mobsters or anything else you might have heard.
Leading this cast is Tom Hardy with his guttural character followed closely by the talented Jessica Chastain as "Maggie". The rest of the cast is great and delivers superb performance, though I would have liked someone other than Shia LaBeouf as young Jack. I think that character needed a stronger accent and a more home spun nature, but maybe that's just me.

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke

Grade: B

Rating: R

Movie Trailer - Lawless

For more Movie and TV updates click below