Tom Hardy shines as a subtle, but deadly man in this compelling adaptation of Matt Bondurant’s, “The Wettest County in the World”.
“Lawless” takes place in the Depression era in Franklin County, Virginia. Three brothers struggle to keep their moonshine business under the radar of a new deputy.
Director John Hillcoat has given his audience a script as hardcore and as bold as the extent of the violence in this film. Although the environment and the lifestyle may not be familiar to a lot of us, the characters and the multiple scenes incorporating violence are surreal, especially considering the nature of our protagonists’ business.
Hardy’s depiction of Forrest Bondurant is that of a man with more authority than he lets those unfamiliar with his personality believe due to his mild-mannered temper. Throughout the movie, he never raises his voice, but through Hardy’s facial expressions and cold demeanor, he is a seemingly subtle man whom it may not be wise to neither underestimate nor mettle.
Unlike what we’ve seen since the first release of Transformers, Shia LaBeouf shows off his potential as a decent actor. LaBeouf plays the youngest brother, Jack Bondurant — a foolish, but persistent young man — living under the shadows of his brothers looking for the opportune moment to prove himself worthy of contributing more than just transportation to their business.
Pearce’s deputy whose very sneaky and conniving nature almost pairs perfectly with Hardy’s. The anticipation of a small fight only grows as the deputy stealthily works his way through Franklin County destroying small moonshine factories.
The script, however solid, seemed to resolve almost too quickly considering that the story is based on a book inspired by true events and written by the grandson of one of the main characters of the novel.
It’s a look into a life that’s very different from what we have all labeled the stereotypical lifestyle of an American during the days of Prohibition in the Depression-era.
Sure, we know about it from historical documents and textbooks, but it feels more like a surreal retelling of a family with whom we can empathize.
Jackie McGriff, of Greece, is pursuing a Master's Degree in Digital Filmmaking. Her true passions are reading, writing, and discussing and watching movies.
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