Lawless: A film by John Hillcoat

Lawless is a compelling film featuring a very capable cast of actors that allow you to believe the movie your watching. The story revolves around a gang of brothers who illegally produce alcohol during prohibition behind the backs of the law. They are able to do so until a Chicago law official threatens their profits and more importantly, their pride. John Hillcoat, a name I'd never heard of before, delivers a prohibition action thriller that was a pleasure to watch.

 Modern movies are never short on violence and bloodshed, but I believe that it takes a real artist to make an all too common theme of violence stand out from the rest. Lawless is great not only because of the direction, but also because of standout performances by Shia LeBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke and the young and beautiful Jessica Chastain. I have never been a fan of the young Shia LeBeouf until this movie, he was perfectly cast as Jack Bondurant, the youngest of the bunch who follows what he feels is moral, not his gut. Tom Hardy embodies the role of his sullen, tough as nails, brooding character Forrest Bondurant. Shockingly, behind the Bane mask lays a very capable British actor. And last but not least, Jessica Chastain, an actress who proved herself worthy after her commanding role in Zero Dark Thirty. She stood out to me, not only because of her beautiful nude scene but because she brings life to the strong Chicago girl trying to make it in the south.

Lawless is no longer in theaters, but has been released on DVD and Blu-ray. I definitely recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen it, but it should be noted that this is not a family film. I give lawless a 3 1/2 out of 4 stars.