Lawless

It seems that many movies about historic periods make viewers a bit nostalgic for a time they may or may not have actually experienced. That is absolutely not the case for Lawless, a film set in the prohibition era south filled with moonshine, crime and some very seedy individuals. Shia LaBeouf stars as Jake Bondurant, the youngest of three brothers, prominent in the Virginia moonshine trade. But when the law comes in to clean up Franklin County with an eccentric special agent, (Guy Pearce) Jake, and even more so, his older brothers, (Tom Hardy and Jason Clarke) work to stay profitable, and alive, against the growing odds.

While other gangster films have showcased this era, Lawless takes a look at the more poorly dressed backwoods version of rum-running. There are even a couple of Al Capone references to make sure it’s clear that these aren’t the high profile guys. But they are definitely interesting characters. I’m not sure how close these dramatized Bondurants are to their historical counterparts, but the fact that the story claims to be based on a true story makes the unbelievable moments that much more believable. Who knows if certain people actually survived such radical injuries, but I’m buying it.

LaBeouf gives a performance that is needed to tie the whole film together. Poignant when he needs to be, the character’s youthful naivety builds audience support and provides tons of drama. It’s hard to look away from Hardy’s performance though. With the exception of his much too huge appearance, a result of his bulking up for The Dark Knight Rises, he stays true to the character with a southern drawl, which borders on mumbling. A viewer may miss something with the dialect, but they get the picture with such an intriguing character. He even has his own legend among the citizens of the movie about him being invincible. Lawless combines the quality acting of its stars with rich subject matter to create a standout film to end the summer with. It has just the right balance between big budget thrills and movie house performances.

Each film earns either zero, a half or a full arrow in five categories. The categories are Acting, Writing/Directing, Emotion, Innovation and Overall Impression. The arrows are added up to equal the full score.