Michael Ledo During prohibition in Franklin Co. Virginia, three restaurant entrepreneur brothers operate an illegal moonshine business. Unfortunately everyone wants a piece of the pie, one that they are not eager to share. The brothers consist of Forrest (Tom Hardy), the brains and philosopher of the group. Howard (Jason Clarke) is a berserker, and Jack (Shia LaBeouf) is the shy driver. Jack is sweet on a Mennonite preacher's daughter (Mia Wasikowska) who likes his "bad boy" image.Guy Pearce plays Charlie Rakes, a one sided unlikable crooked deputy who makes us root for the moonshiners. Jessica Chastain provides a little style to the film as a city girl (former feather dancer) who wants to get away from Chicago and winds up working the restaurant for Forrest.As things pan out, young Jack must suddenly grow himself a set and take over the family enterprise against the odds. Good acting. High intensity.Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity (Malinda Baker), implied rape.

amirhamzasonet It is about three brothers who are running an illegal but successful business which soon attracts attention they don't want and trouble ensues. There is quite a lot of action in this film but it is mostly about the drama and the different things each character goes through. There are some fantastic actors in this film who all show their versatility and most notable for me was Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf who did an amazing job of making their characters real to the audience and made you really care for them. It is quite a long film but so many different things happen and it kept me glued from start to finish. There are some very grim scenes, some intense action, emotional scenes and of course romance and even a few comical moments - I think this film has a bit of everything. This film is not all about the action so don't expect it to be, but the main element is the theme of brotherhood which I loved. Also the fact that Lawless is based on a true story made it really interesting for me.

Marlena Jo Tom and Shia make this a great movie! It was so fun, interesting and exciting I went rift out and purchased the book. The characters are very well rounded and developed. Each scene leaves you on the edge of your seat, waiting and wanting more. The locations and historical implications for our country make this far more interesting than a completely fictional movie. Tom Hardy is a phenomenal actor...as is the rest of the cast. Their chemistry works well. It is horrible what he lived through and then to die of pneumonia. Horrific what the police did! The sheer personal fortitude of his family is so impressive. This was their way of life, and maybe wrong and "lawless" but it is shameful that the police were "lawless" as well.

Everett Ellingson Franklin County, Virginia was at one time called "the wettest county in the world". It's also the setting for the film "Lawless". This film boasts gruesome reenactments of the life of "moonshiners" in the late 1920's and early 1930's. Director John Hillcoat did a wonderful job portraying the recklessness of the roaring 20's. Unfortunately, a combination of a confusing soundtrack, excessive violence and a dash of overacting diverts our attention from the main plot.The focus of the movie is young Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) and his struggle to get into the family business while earning some respect from his brothers Forest (Tom Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke). On his journey to becoming a backwoods gangster, Jack teams up with life long friend Cricket Pate (Dane DeHaan). The two friends seem to be making it until they run into some bigger fish in the ever- shrinking pond of Franklin County. Included in this gun slinging action movie are a couple of love stories that make for some interesting scenes.The soundtrack to this movie is a little inconsistent. At times, the music just doesn't match the emotions that are being acted out on screen. Then, other times it matches our emotions perfectly. Scenes could have been made to feel more personable if the soundtrack was better. On a more positive note, the setting, set design, costumes and makeup were phenomenal. Throughout the movie, we see most of the men in three-piece suits showing us they have plenty of money from the illegal sale of alcohol. Even the cars in the movie mirror the reputation of the invincible and untouchable Bondurant family. Clearly, the prohibition era was a time where gun slinging outlaws and corrupt officials were the norm. As the title says, there were no "laws" for these bootleggers. With that being said, the amount of violence in this film seems a little bit excessive. There are huge amounts of blood, beatings and even some severed body parts. It all just seems a little unnecessary. It does show that the Bondurant's are not to be messed with. Too bad it also makes the plot difficult to follow. Unfortunately, the acting in this movie is really pulling it down like an anchor. Shia LaBeouf and Dane DeHaan are two of the star actors in this film. Oddly enough, they're the guys that have the most unreal and awkward dialogues. For example, Jack sees Floyd Banner shoot someone in the middle of town. He runs to Cricket's house to tell him what he just witnessed. The scene is going well until Jack starts yelling Crickets name. It sounds like LaBeouf is just forcing his accent too much and it has no natural flow. It seems minor, but it all adds up and by the end of the movie it's just annoying.Overall, this film could have been put together more effectively, but overall Hillcoat did a pretty good job making a prohibition era love story action movie. With less violence, a better thought out soundtrack and more natural acting, this movie would be outstanding. Instead, it is relatively entertaining to watch and may inspire you to purchase a Thompson sub-machine gun, a three-piece suit and a felt hat. Just remember no one will ever be as invincible as the Bonderant's.