A slow burn of a film, Lawless takes its time getting where it is going but with an especially strong performance by Tom Hardy the trip is definitely worth it.

Based on true events, specifically those depicted in the book ‘The Wettest County in the World’ by Matt Bondurant, Lawless tells the story of the  prohibition era Virginia based moonshining Bondurant brothers who find themselves up against opposition from corrupt federal authorities, rivals and organized crime as they refuse to pay fealty or get out of the way . Without living parents, the head of the family is Forrest (Tom Hardy) a man notorious for being hard to kill who runs his little empire with quiet strength. Forrest is backed by Howard (Jason Clarke) the muscle of the family who has a temper as vicious as his fists but who is tempered by a love of moonshine that keeps him less reliable than Forrest would like. Youngest brother Jack (Shia LeBouf) is cut from a different cloth and is of a gentler temperament from his brothers which makes him ambitious and driven to prove himself. This leads him to take risks with moonshine production and delivery with his partner Cricket, all while trying to court the local preacher’s daughter. Jack’s moves help with short term gain but also make him a prime target for psychotic federal agent Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce) who is looking for a piece of their profits more than he wants to moonshine business to stop. Forrest is not interested in sharing and a war breaks out between the Bondurant family, the law, other local moonshiners and gangsters who are creeping down to the country from Chicago.

While there is plenty of violence to be had in the film, and it is not violence for the squeamish, this is not an action film and as such it takes the time to develop its characters and allow them to breathe. This slower pacing not only increases the intimacy the audience has to the characters but also allows the tension to grow slowly and steadily toward inevitable conclusions and conflicts. This does not make the film boring by any stretch of the imagination but rather engages with confidence. Director John Hillcoat trusts the material to play and he gets out of its way.

This is not to say that Hillcoat doesn’t do much as that is not at all the case. The visuals in the film are stunning and drip with the feelings of tension as thick as the humidity. From sweeping establishing shots that show off the beauty of the landscape to grittier and more intimate close ups in character moments, the director stages his shots very well and delivers information visually without having to spell everything out in dialogue.

The writing is equally tight and somewhat low key. There are speeches made and clever turns of phrase but none of these overpower the story itself and you never feel like screenwriter Nick Cave is showing off or trying to be profound. There is nothing really flashy here which fits the story very well. There are beats and conversations that stick with the viewer for quality but do so without being pretentious or self important.

As good as the writing and direction were, the film really hangs on the performances. If the cast didn’t take the material seriously or was of inferior skill, the whole thing would come across like a farce or backwoods exploitation. As it happens the performances were well delivered and were generally understated. Guy Pearce does some scenery chewing as Rakes but that came off much less his own hubris as the character’s arrogance. When the bluster devolves into seething rage or psychotic calm, the more flamboyant aspects of Pearce’s performance are both understood and forgiven.  LeBouf is probably the weakest of the links here as his accent seems a bit dodgy at times but overall his performance works and he pulls off the desperation and eventual arrogance well. He does it without any trademark Shiaisms as well so that is nice.

Tom Hardy is the real star here and his performance holds the movie together in the same way Forrest holds the family together. The best thing about Forrest and Hardy’s portrayal of him is that so much work is done with posture, expression and grunts that he almost doesn’t need to say anything. This is not to say that the character is mute but there is an economy to Forrest that sets the stage for the whole character. He doesn’t stand when sitting will do and he doesn’t speak when a sound or look will do. Often times quiet characters can look stupid or slow and there is a bit of that quality to Hardy’s performance but when needed Forrest shows how capable he is both physically and mentally.

Conclusion [8.5 out of 10]

Lawless is not a flashy action movie nor is it a rambunctious tale of outlaw brothers. This is a relatively quiet (as quiet as gunfire and still explosions can allow) and contemplative film that looks at what family means and the lengths a close one will go to protect themselves and those they care about it. There is terrible violence along the way and some humor and tears but at the end it is a film about a family doing whatever they can to stay together and to stay prosperous. The performances are great and the movie looks and sounds great. It might not be light post summer fare for an afternoon at the cineplex but it is a filling meal that will leave you satisfied at the end of it.