116 min, R

Starring Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska, and Guy Pearce

Watched 12/07/2012

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“Isn't that just like you to believe your own damn legend?”

This movie is so beautiful. I don’t necessarily mean in the narrative sense—in fact, the pacing wasn’t the greatest, the story wasn’t particularly interesting to me, and it took awhile for the film to get going. But everything else about this film was just so goddamn beautiful that it’s difficult to ignore.

The acting was top notch, absolutely phenomenal. Everyone in the cast more than held their own and played off of each other wonderfully. What makes this film work is the dynamic and chemistry built among all the players. It’s what turned what would’ve been an incohesive mess into something that’s quite an enjoyable ride. This doesn’t mean all the characters were fully fleshed out though—in fact, I would’ve loved more backstory on Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman), who was barely in the film. Maggie Beauford (Jessica Chastain) was such a beauty, and she had this mysterious aura about her that was never really fulfilled. Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce), the extremely unnerving sheriff deputy, was just downright horrendous and so extremely unlikeable that it made you wonder if something traumatic happened to him, or if he was just built this way. And finally, the Bondurant brothers—we see glimpses of their childhood at the beginning of the film. We know their parents died, but nothing much else was given. Why the rocky relationship between Jack (Shia LaBeouf) and Forrest (Tom Hardy)?

Perhaps it simply wasn’t feasible to include a proper backstory for every character in this film (for there certainly are a lot), and such things are generally reserved for mini-series, but as someone who didn’t know the history of the wettest county in the world, I felt slightly empty leaving the movie.

But this isn’t to detract from the positive aspects. The cinematography was stunning, with shots of the quiet landscape carefully woven into the rest of the violence that somehow managed to turn a grisly and dark subject into a serene blend of beauty and blood. It was almost attractive, the way death was portrayed in this film.

Furthermore, the script was a gem. So much of the dialogue was wonderfully written, with a lot of wry humor and genuinely heartfelt and soulful bits that really brought out the humanity of all the characters. I especially love the way Forrest Bondurant was written (and endearingly acted by a very talented Tom Hardy). The subject is also a difficult one, and it’s easy to mess it up because of the thin line it walks between what is morally right and what is lawfully right. Who is really the “villain” in this film? The Bondurant brothers are outlaws, are selling alcohol against the law, and Charlie Rakes is the deputy sent to exterminate them, but you find yourself rooting for the former and not the latter.

The soundtrack was my absolute favourite part of this film, which is kind of funny, considering how different it is from everything else I listen to. It’s difficult to select just one from the many equally striking pieces of music on the album (written by The Bootleggers), but if I had to, I think I would go with “Fire and Brimstone,” featuring Mark Lanegan. It’s the song that started off the film with a bang, and without it, I don’t think I would’ve been properly settled into enjoying the rest of the movie. A close second would be the wonderful “Cosmonaut,” featuring Emmylou Harris.

All in all, Lawless doesn’t quite become the masterpiece it appears to be, but it does manage to “wow” you despite its flaws.

“It is not the violence that sets a man apart, alright, it is the distance he is willing to go.”