Lawless

描述

Product Description LAWLESS is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. In this epic gangster tale, inspired by true-life tales of author Matt Bondurant’s family in his novel “The Wettest County In The World,” the loyalty of three brothers is put to the test against the backdrop of the nation’s most notorious crime wave. desertcart.com Director John Hillcoat and writer-musician Nick Cave made a brutal, brilliant splash with The Proposition, a revisionist Outback Western that quickly tore away any lingering notions of frontier romanticism. Lawless, the duo's take on another turbulent period of history--namely, the bloodiest years of America's Prohibition--eases up on the unrelenting grimness a bit, but the hard edges still shine through. Adapted from the historical novel The Wettest County in the World, by Matt Bondurant, Cave's script follows three Virginia brothers determined to continue their family's legacy of providing quality moonshine to their faithful customers (including members of local law enforcement) during the Great Depression. While the youngest brother (Shia LaBeouf) attempts to gain the business of a feared local mobster (Gary Oldman), the three find themselves under assault from a ruthless federal agent (Guy Pearce) with a sadistic agenda of his own. Hillcoat, working with cinematographer Benoît Delhomme, delivers a fantastically realized period piece, one where the folksy, lived-in atmosphere is randomly dispelled by moments of shockingly raw savagery. Unfortunately, the attention to detail doesn't quite extend itself to LaBeouf's character, whose motivations and actions feel strangely half-baked throughout. Still, even if the main storyline occasionally falters, the film offers plenty to recommend itself, including Cave's ominously cheery score, small but vivid turns by Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska, and the gloriously weird Pearce, who starts his performance somewhere in the outer stratosphere and just keeps heading upwards. The main draw of Lawless, however, ultimately comes from Tom Hardy, who goes all out and then some as the enforcer and reluctant father figure of the family. Clad in incongruously mellow cardigans and mumbling like a cartoon sailor man, he's a Terminator for the ages. When it comes to his performance, White Lightning hardly covers it. --Andrew Wright Review: Tom Hardy Was OUTSTANDING - I remember seeing the preview for "Lawless" while preparing to watch another movie. I instantly wanted to see it. Yet, the opportunity passed, and I wasn't ready to buy the DVD until I was certain I would like the movie. Although I was born in the late 1960s, my father was born in 1920. He often said he bootlegged himself to help the family survive as his father was a poor farm laborer. There were three brothers in the movie and my father had two brothers. Forrest Bondurant reminds me so much of my father in his latter years, it's not funny. Enough of that. On to the movie. Nick Cave nailed the spirit of the book and the music of the time. It was as if we were watching the real events unfold in person instead of on a cable network. I inherited my love of good stories and movies from my father. There was an even distribution of action throughout, and the scene where Forrest's throat is cut was violent, bloody, and frighteningly realistic. How Forrest Bondurant survived that, I will never know. I loved the unfolding romances between Forrest and Maggie. Their scenes were brilliant. Tom Hardy brought the character to life in a way no other actor could have imagined. His Virginian accent was flawless. He was a scene stealer. It was as if he was born to portray Forrest. I was less interested in the romance of Jack and Bertha. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Tom Hardy and Jessica Chastain overshadowed Shia LaBeouf and Mia Wasikowska. The chemistry between Mr. Hardy and Ms. Chastain was unbelievable. Although it was Jack's story, more or less, one cannot deny that Forrest and Howard were larger than life, as were the actors who portrayed them. I found myself cheering for the moonshiners, the supposed 'bad' guys and jeering the law, the supposed 'good' guys. Nick Cave, who also scored the music for "West Of Memphis," did so with "Lawless" as well. He captured the soul of music in those days, and the soundtrack is amazing. If anyone can make it through listening to Ralph Stanley without tearing up during Cricket Pate's funeral, has little heart. At the end, Mr. Stanley sang another bittersweet song that reminded me so much of my father, I cried the first time I heard it. See, in the movie, the brothers fight, but have each others' backs. That makes me think of my father and his two brothers. They fought like wild cats, but when one was threatened, they would all throw in the fight. In all, it was superb and I would give my recommendations. If nothing else, Tom Hardy's performance alone is enough to have this movie in one's collection. Review: Very good narrated movie - Excellent movie.