For my first ever movie blog I offer up “Lawless”. Based on the book “The Wettest County in the World” by Matt Bondurant a grandson of one of the infamous Bondurant boys.
As our story opens up in rural Virginia we find the Bondurant boys, Shia Lebouf, Tom Hardy, and Jason Clarke , distributing mason jars full of their homemade moonshine amongst the county. Known to have the best whiskey around the boys are in high demand and raking in the profits.
Enter Guy Pearce as Special Agent Charlie Rakes. When first entering the county his attempt to blackmail the boys fails. This denial from the Forrest, the brother in charge, is just the catalyst needed for Mr. Pearce to turn on the creep button. I have rarely seen him in a movie where he wasn’t spot on. But in Lawless he is able to turn himself into what can only be described as an eyebrow-less, egomaniacal creep who comes off as hiding some type of perversion you would expect to find in the Silence of the Lambs. His portrayal of the special deputy gets you right on board and cheering on the boys and their bootlegging.
While Forrest runs the operation youngest brother Jake is aching to become part of the action and earn the snappy suit and pimped out ride the likes that mobster Gary Oldham drives. His chance arrives after Forrest and a new waitress at the family run gas stop and restaurant are attacked one night. Shia Lebouf took a lot of flack about his acting skills in this movie. I however found him to exactly what was needed to portray the whiney younger brother who constantly gets picked on despite his best intentions. As Jake grows the business and heads towards his dream of high fashion mobster a mis step with the local preacher’s daughter lands the boys in a sticky spot.
As the climax approaches we see the town coming together in a good versus evil stand-off leading to the much anticipated final interaction between the brothers and the deputy. Without giving away the ending I will stop here and encourage you to see for yourself how the Bondurant boys changed the face of bootleggers and how sometimes you just can’t help but root for the criminals.
http://lawless-film.com
Great review. I really want to see this one now.