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When Hollywood depicts a Prohibition-era outlaw, he’s usually a slick crime boss in a designer suit, a Tommy gun in his hands. But while the outlaws in director John Hillcoat’s Lawless aren’t as polished, these backwoods moonshiners could give the toughest Hollywood gangsters a run for their money.
At the height of Prohibition, the hills of Virginia’s Franklin County glow with the flames from moonshiners’ stills—and the Bondurant brothers are among the most successful moonshiners in the county. Some, in fact, believe that they’re somehow invincible.
When Special Deputy Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce) is sent from Chicago to clean up the county, though, the brothers’ profitable business is threatened. The slick, crooked deputy just wants a kickback, but strong, silent Forrest (Tom Hardy) refuses to give him what he wants.
Youngest brother Jack (Shia LaBeouf) sees the growing conflict as a chance to prove himself valuable to his brothers and their business. But the more money they make, the deadlier their feud with Rakes becomes.
Like Hillcoat’s 2009 post-apocalyptic drama, The Road, Lawless is heavy and grim, with the deliberate pacing and subdued suspense of a classic Western. It may be populated with outlaws and crooked cops, but this isn’t a no-holds-barred, shoot-‘em-up kind of crime thriller.
Still, that’s not to say that Lawless is dry or dull. Quite the contrary, in fact. Anyone who’s familiar with singer/songwriter-turned-screenwriter Nick Cave’s music will see his bloody fingerprints all over the film. Cave’s gruesome, gothic tendencies are evident in the shocking bursts of blood-soaked violence, as well as in the film’s darkly lyrical style.
Meanwhile, in the long, slow stretches between action sequences, it’s the engaging characters that will hold the audience’s attention. While LaBeouf is far from a compelling star, he’s surprisingly charming as overzealous young Jack, the timid little brother with dreams of notoriety. But Hardy helps to carry the film as Forrest, the not-so-gentle giant who runs the show. He may not say much, but when he talks, people listen.
Really, though, some of the film’s most intriguing characters are also the least developed. The women, especially, are shamefully underused. Jessica Chastain’s Maggie Beauford is a vibrant character with an interesting past—but she does little more than stand behind the counter at the Bondurants’ diner and serve coffee and burgers to its patrons. And Jack’s love interest, preacher’s daughter Bertha (Mia Wasikowska), has a story of her own—but very little of it is told, making her character seem like an unnecessary distraction.
Lawless isn’t exactly a flawless drama—and if you’re looking for the non-stop action of a summer blockbuster, you’ll find it rather sleepy. But its hardy heroes and gun-slinging grit make this booze-fueled thriller a worthwhile Western.
Blu-ray Review:
The Blu-ray release of this real-life Western also includes a number of extras. There are some basic features—like six deleted scenes, a short music video (for “Midnight Run” by Willie Nelson), and a commentary with director John Hillcoat and The Wettest County in the World author Matt Bondurant—but there are a number of interesting behind-the-scenes features, too.
Lawless: The True Story of the Wettest County in the World is a 22-minute overview of the film. It’s part history lesson and part making-of feature, discussing the true story, the characters, the cast, the music, and other aspects of the film. For a little more background on the story, there’s Franklin County, Virginia: Then and Now. This short feature takes a look at the history of moonshine production and bootlegging in Franklin County during Prohibition. Or, for more about the Bondurants, there’s The Story of the Bondurant Family. While author Matt Bondurant doesn’t make an especially electrifying narrator, he shares some old family photos, newspaper articles, and more, which help to make the story and the characters come to life.
Really, if watching Lawless leaves you wanting to know a little more about the movie and its true story, all three of these featurettes are worth a look—but I recommend starting with The Story of the Bondurant Family for its fascinating look at the real men and women who inspired the movie.
