Lawless

The Bondurant name is infamous in the town of Franklin County, VA.  “My daddy says you boys are the worst thing ever to hit Franklin,” says the preacher’s daughter, Bertha Minnix (Mia Wasikowska).

            After John Hillcoat’s Lawless hits theaters in the U.S. on August 31, the Bondurant name will surely become infamous around the country, as well. Whether you like the film or not, it has blockbuster written all over it thanks to the perfect combination of humor, violence, sentiment and Tom Hardy.

            Based on Matt Bondurant’s novel, The Wettest County In The World, Lawless tells the story of three brothers who dominate the liquor trade in prohibition-era Virginia. Other than alcohol, brothers Forrest (Tom Hardy), Howard (Jason Clarke) and Jack (Shia LaBoeuf) Bondurant are local legends and are believed to be immortal by many of the people of Franklin.

            If Hardy’s badass status isn’t solidified after his portrayal of Bane in the upcoming film, The Dark Knight Rises, his time spent in Forrest Bondurant’s skin surely will do the trick. Though he is not as strong as his brother Howard and about the same height as his brother Jack, Forrest is the most respected and feared among the three and Tom Hardy lives up to the character’s billing.

            Hardy’s southern growl is consistent and impressive for any actor, let alone a Londoner. His stern facial expressions and general masculine aura create a character that is as intimidating as the town believes him to be. About a half hour into the film even I began to question his mortality...and had an urge to grow out some facial stubble.

            Even if you are not a fan of Hardy’s performance, his rising star quality is undeniable. Granted, other than gaining a few female admirers, making This Means War with Reese Witherspoon was a misstep. However, all will be forgiven as soon as he is immortalized as Bane in the new Batman movie. That being said, Hardy shines, but Forrest wouldn’t be anything without his brothers.

As Jack, Shia LaBoeuf does his usual goofy, every guy routine that we have seen before in that little flick he did with the transforming robots. There are also a few scenes outside of his normal range that he handles quite well. His southern accent isn’t half bad, either. Aussie Jason Clarke does a solid job as the strong and silent Howard, but his character lives up to the aforementioned description and is a minor point in the plot.

            All three actors do a good job creating and supporting a strong brotherhood between them throughout the entire movie. That bond as well as the moral and chivalrous way in which they handle themselves ensure that the audience will stay on their side regardless of how many illegal bottles of liquor they bootleg or people they maim/murder.

            It is easy to see the moonshining Bondurant brothers as protagonists after about five minute with Guy Pearce’s character, Agent Charlie Rakes. Rakes works for a corrupt district attorney intent on getting a piece of the blossoming liquor trade in Franklin. Almost every bootlegger in the town caved, but in the words of Forrest: “I’m a Bondurant. We don’t lay down for nobody.”

            After the Bondurant’s refusal to play ball, Rakes makes it his personal business to bring them down and disprove the myth of their immortality. From his sinister center-parted hair to his almost unbearable Chicagoan accent, he is an ideal villain. Like any bad guy worth his weight, his evil ways don’t begin and end with the Bondurants.  He also has a taste for hookers, treats women poorly and even picks on Jack’s crippled sidekick, Cricket (Dane DeHaan). Poor Cricket.

            After seeing a lot of him in the trailer, I had hopes of seeing some action from Gary Oldman’s character, Floyd Banner, but no dice. He’s in the movie, but not really. His screen time is limited and the biggest effect he has on the plot is that he instills a newfound arrogance in Jack, which eventually leads the young Bondurant into some sticky situations.

            Lawless manages to be quite violent as well as light-hearted. The Bondurants seemingly can do it all. While Jack is trying to court the preacher’s daughter, Forrest is bloodying up someone’s face with his brass knuckles. While Howard is getting drunk with “the boys,” Jack is taking a beating, himself. The movie maintains a nice balance between feel-good and shoot-em-up while keeping the audience engaged. Not to keep dwelling on Mr. Hardy, but the side plot of tough-guy Forrest slowly softening to the touch of Maggie (Jessica Chastain) is the icing on this bittersweet cake.