![Lawless [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81L-WH1za1L.jpg)
Product Description John Hillcoat ('The Road') directs this crime thriller set in rural Virginia in the early 1930s, adapted by musician-screenwriter Nick Cave from the biographical novel by Matt Bondurant, the grandson of one of the main characters. Brothers Jack and Forrest Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy) set up as bootleggers, but soon find themselves under threat from the authorities who want a cut of their profits in the form of 'security money'. A vicious turf war ensues as the brothers fight tooth and nail to retain their hard-won livelihood. The supporting cast includes Mia Wasikowska, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Noah Taylor and Jessica Chastain. .co.uk Review There's an awful lot to like about Lawless. In front of the camera, it boasts a far stronger than you might expect leading performance from Shia LaBeouf, for instance. Playing alongside him is the screen-dominating Tom Hardy, taking the role of his brother. They're two of the three Bondurant brothers, living out in Virginia during the time of prohibition, and trying to keep a supply of alcohol running. This means there's also room for Gary Oldman's brief appearance as a mobster you wouldn't want to mess with, and Guy Pearce's scene-stealing federal agent. It's a bit of a muddled film at times in truth, but Lawless, at its best, is gripping entertainment. Stylishly put together by director John Hillcoat, whose earlier The Proposition is an excellent companion piece, Lawless also boasts excellent music from Nick Cave. Cave also penned the screenplay. Interspersed with excellent acting, humour and sudden violence, Lawless is very much worth a watch. The disc's package of extras doesn't make as much of the source material as you'd hope, though. It's a decent selection that you get, it's just there's room for a far more forensic look at the period, and the particular characters that inspired the film. Still, it's a strong movie, that overcomes a few problems to more than justify the investment in it. Recommended, and do check out The Proposition if you've not seen it, too. --Jon Foster
S**N
It is not the violence that sets men apart, alright, it is the distance that he is prepared to go.
Lawless is directed by John Hillcoat and adapted to screenplay by Nick Cave from the novel The Wettest County in the World written by Mark Bondurant. It stars Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan and Gary Oldman. Music is by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis and cinematography by Benoit Delhomme.Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, and a bootlegging gang of brothers is threatened by a sadistic new special deputy who will stop at nothing to smash their operation.The directing and writing team behind 2005's excellent Aussie Western, The Proposition, gather again to produce this bloody tale of the real life Bondurant brothers who stood up and fought the law on their own terms. If that sounds like a call for us to side with the good ol' bad boys and their right to fight the bad copper guys, then it is. If you can get past that deliberately grey area, and why wouldn't you in this part of the entertainment medium? Then there is a mighty fine time to be had here.What unravels is a intense character based story that is cloaked with sumptuous period flavours, and by turns it's violent, darkly funny and beating a true emotional heart. It's also exquisitely photographed (Georgia standing in for Virginia) and performed by the cast (Hardy and Pearce simply wonderful), while Cave's music score has the requisite blend of Moonshine Hillbilly twangs with Achy Breaky thrums. The girls (Chastain and Wasikowska) are a touch under written, but in a film primarily about three brothers flexing their muscles and sticking their chests out, it's a forgivable flaw. Oldman fans, however, should note that his role in the film, as gangster Floyd Banner, is nothing more than a trio of cameo appearances.A strong stomach is required and you will need to accept the romanticisation of the Bondurant boys, because then you will get the most out of this impressively mounted film that deals in a time of American history that is under represented (particularly out of the city and into the hills) in the movies. 8.5/10
P**N
Good Movie (with reservations )
Arrived following after it was ordered quality of picture and sound good and the price is far so very happy with service, price and disc qualityThe film is brutal and Guy Pierce is down right evil as the cop.Sadly i have only given it four stars as other than Guy Pierce i couldnt understand what the other main actors were saying ,after i had watched the film i realised i should have put on subtitles it really is that bad.So summing up good service, good film but subtitles to understand the actors
K**E
Superb from start to finish.
Great story, wonderfully told and beautifully filmed. Fabulous cast too, everyone of them acing their socks off but it has to be said that Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman are just the dogs' b*ll*cks, despite Gary's screen time being distinctly lacking. The violence isn't sanitised and can be both extremely brutal & graphic but sadly that was life for some and necessary to the story. I bet it was a joy to make as well, I mean what kid from say the 60's/70's didn't ever play the gangster with the tommy gun as they freely roamed their council estate 'til dusk with hoards of their mates playing out movie roles to their hearts content? Gary Oldman made it look like childhood dreams come true and I want to go out there and do it all over again now !! I couldn't tear myself away from this film, which is one of those movies that haunts you afterwards and is hard to shake off, for the best of reasons. I can't rate this film highly enough and I'm not even a TH fan!
M**N
F-Lawless, well not quite but it's pretty good
The Bondurant Brothers (Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Shia Lebeouf) are Moonshine Bootleggers in Prohibition era West Virginia showing the other side of the era's criminal element away from the big city's gang warfare. Guy Pearce is the corrupt agent sent in from Chicago to clean up the hills but is hell bent on shaking down all the county's Moonshiners with any means necessary. The Bondurant boys however will not lie down for anyone. Great performances throughout from some of the best actors around, the 3 brothers, Pearce, the 2 romantic elements of Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska, and a great cameo from the brilliant Gary Oldman as Floyd Banner, Public Enemy Number 1. The recreation of the era and surroundings is pitch perfect and with a beautifully dark script from Nick Cave gives another fantastic collaboration with director John Hillcoat. Based on the real life exploits of the Bondurants they have exaggerated the violence but there's nothing wrong with a bit of artistic licence to tell a new story in a gripping way.Product wise picture and sound quality were perfect although the box was damaged
J**V
Sticking it to the man movie..
These "sticking it to the man" movies have a certain quality about them in general and this one is well made with great cast. Its sort of hilarious that the main characters are drunks who deal illegal substances. Also the fun bit is that at no point they blame alcohol for their problems XD esspecially at the end when the drunk Forest dances on a frozen lake and falls in the water, where the voice over simply adds Forest died of bad luck and pneumonia XD not one mention of alcohol being the reason behind it. Well..I guess the fish don't know they're in water...
S**X
Great movie !
Acting at its best from across the cast. Tom Hardy is right up there with the greatest of all time. Gary Oldman only had a bit part. Guy Pierce as very good as the bad guy cop ! Jessica Chastain and Mia were superb as well. A real insight into the hillbilly twilight zone. Loved the reference by guy Pierce that his hil billies were genetically watered down by Cherokee blood where in fact the opposite was the truth ! Well worth watching this movie !
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