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Shia LaBeouf, right, stars in ‘Lawless.’ |
The move from brainless popcorn fare to high-minded Oscar bait is a
yearly shift as inevitable as cooler weather and changing leaves. But
where do we place John Hillcoat’s “Lawless,” which is opening just before Labor Day?
Consider this brooding moonshine saga your segue between seasons. The gratuitous nudity and bloody shootouts suggest summer; the pedigreed cast and historical subject matter are more commonly found in fall.
Hillcoat (“The Road”) and screenwriter Nick Cave adapted the film from Matt Bondurant’s novel “The Wettest County in the World.” That the ’30s-set story has its roots in truth makes an already forceful tale even more compelling.
Shia LaBeouf is Jack Bondurant, younger brother to notorious Blue Ridge
bootleggers Forrest (Tom Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke). Their
booming backwoods business attracts the attention of a new deputy, Rakes
(Guy Pearce), who insists on his cut.
While Forrest and Howard get involved in an increasingly vicious battle with Rakes, Jack is busy figuring out his future path. Will he settle down with preacher’s daughter Bertha (Mia Wasikowska) or join forces with legendary gangster Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman)?
Just as Jack is coming of age, LaBeouf clearly intends for “Lawless” to signal his own professional maturation. He doesn’t disappoint, building on the promise he’s already shown in other non-“Transformers” films. But the indisputable star is the chameleonlike Hardy, whose outsized talent and charisma will surely lead him up Oscar’s carpet one day.
That won’t happen yet, though. At heart, this Prohibition yarn is really just a genre picture done better than most. And it’s far from flawless. Pearce makes an uncharacteristic misstep by turning Rakes into a cartoonish sadist, while Jessica Chastain is both exploited and underused in an ornamental role as Forrest’s girlfriend. The taut script takes a few unnecessary shortcuts, and the energy flags a bit before the finale.
Still, the action is, overall, as exciting as the primary performances are impressive. “Lawless” is unlikely to be one of the strongest contenders of autumn, but it may be the best to come out of August.
Consider this brooding moonshine saga your segue between seasons. The gratuitous nudity and bloody shootouts suggest summer; the pedigreed cast and historical subject matter are more commonly found in fall.
Hillcoat (“The Road”) and screenwriter Nick Cave adapted the film from Matt Bondurant’s novel “The Wettest County in the World.” That the ’30s-set story has its roots in truth makes an already forceful tale even more compelling.
While Forrest and Howard get involved in an increasingly vicious battle with Rakes, Jack is busy figuring out his future path. Will he settle down with preacher’s daughter Bertha (Mia Wasikowska) or join forces with legendary gangster Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman)?
Just as Jack is coming of age, LaBeouf clearly intends for “Lawless” to signal his own professional maturation. He doesn’t disappoint, building on the promise he’s already shown in other non-“Transformers” films. But the indisputable star is the chameleonlike Hardy, whose outsized talent and charisma will surely lead him up Oscar’s carpet one day.
That won’t happen yet, though. At heart, this Prohibition yarn is really just a genre picture done better than most. And it’s far from flawless. Pearce makes an uncharacteristic misstep by turning Rakes into a cartoonish sadist, while Jessica Chastain is both exploited and underused in an ornamental role as Forrest’s girlfriend. The taut script takes a few unnecessary shortcuts, and the energy flags a bit before the finale.
Still, the action is, overall, as exciting as the primary performances are impressive. “Lawless” is unlikely to be one of the strongest contenders of autumn, but it may be the best to come out of August.
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