Rent Lawless (2012)

Down home mountain boys. - Lawless review by NC

Very loosely based on an old picture of 3 mountain boy moonshiners.

Guy Pearce has to work hard to be a perverse special deputy to somehow give a good guys image to the violent bootleggers. Another sorry era in American history with the film boys attempting to create some nostalgia and empathy.

Violence and guns appears to be a strong vein running through all the past.

Very good gangster film - Lawless review by PT

Three brothers run a bootlegging operation in the outback. Everything is hunky dory until the ultra creepy lawman Guy Pearce shows up wanting pay offs. Forrest the head honcho of the brothers won't play ball, unleashing the hellish sadism of the lawman Rakes.

Hardy is brilliant as the mumbling, laconic, hard as nails Forrest, who incidentally believes he is indestructible. Well supported by the young wanna be gangster Jack (LeBeof ) and the crazy, strong as an ox, moonshine swigging Howard (Clarke).

The glamour is provided in the shape of the beautiful Jessica Chastain as Maggie, who has the hots for Forrest. Gary Oldman is back playing a crazy, the gangster Floyd Banner, which he is undoubtedly great at.

If you like the gangster genre you should enjoy this film.

What a beautiful looking movie - Lawless review by PR

This Blu-ray looked stunning, the production values being really high. Every scene was well considered and brilliantly filmed and I think that the 'look' of the movie really pushed the enjoyment levels very high.

Tom Hardy played a gritty and moody character and was totally believable. I am a big fan of Tom Hardy but I think this is possibly one of his best roles. Having said that I thought that all the actors performed to a high standard and, along with the well-crafted screenplay it was a riveting experience. Shia LaBeouf as Jack Bondurant was perfect for the role, as was Gary Oldman playing Floyed Banner (I would have liked more appearances by him in the film, he was such a great character).

I have to be careful in case I sound over-enthusiastic about Lawless but it was honestly one of the best films I have seen for a good while. Even the music was stunning and I may even buy the soundtrack.

On the Blu-ray version the 'extras' helped to give weight to the story and the characters. The author of "The Wettest County in The World" discusses the film and the story. His grandfather was Jack Bondurant and his grand-uncles were Forrest and Howard — so I feel this made the film, although probably embellished probably quite true to actual events. Either way, the short 'extra' documentary should be watched after you have enjoyed the movie... and you will then appreciate the film even more (well I did!).

Thoroughly recommend this. There are some very brutal scenes and some people may find them rather 'gory' and difficult to watch — but I honestly feel the violence was gratuitous... they were hard times and "Lawless" is an apt title!