An American classic tale of the stubborn humble country folk bootleggers resisting corrupt city politicians and the mob. I watched this film at the Cannes as a filmmaker myself I was attending the festival to screen my own film. All the stars turned up to support the film and attended the main evening screening including Nick Cave (the main man behind the scenes for screenplay and score). The film received a rapturous applause after the screening, it is after all a classic modern gangster tale of good-old-boys moon-shiners going up against the mob when they refuse to tow the line and pay protection money to gangsters working for the local corrupt elected official. A family of three brothers, the elder two Tom Hardy and Jason Clarke play Forrest and Howard Bondurant, legendary local hard men and indestructible war hero, their younger sibling Shia LaBeouf plays Jack Bondurant a young man trying desperately to live up to and gain respect from his older brothers. When gangsters fronted by Guy Pearce as Special Agent Charlie Rakes (as an eccentric very scary villain) comes to town, with the assistance of the local constabulary, the offer is made to give up a piece of their action making moon-shine in the nearby hills or to feel the wrath of the law. The brothers are set in their ways, bend down to no man and a confrontation is in the offing. Without giving too much away, Jessica Chastain as Maggie turns up in town having escaped from cruel violent men in the city, she is given a job by Forrest and a very slow romance begins, she is smouldering, sassy and the only strong woman in the film. Yes...this is a boys movie, the scenes of brutal violence will repulse a female audience, but then again they will probably turn up in droves to watch La Beouf turn out a strong assured well developed leading man's performance. Jason Clarke as Howard is strong and as always totally believable, though it is perhaps for Hardy's remarkable modern John Wayne homage performance that the film will most likely be remembered, for he uses all John Wayne's classic acting tips "Say less, say it low and say it slow", enabling Hardy to once again turn out a remarkably memorable star building performance that will both melt the ladies hearts and make him the envy of every young tough man wanting to make a name for himself as a hard man leader type. Gary Oldman appears briefly in a couple of memorable scenes, as always understated and highly memorable, he plays his part in building the legend of the Bondurant brothers, but I only wish that his character had been given a bigger part in the story. The golden team that made The Proposition (2005)are re-united, John Hillcoat doing a great job of Directing once more, and both the script and fabulous country Bluegrass and bluesy score, being provided by the music legend in real life Nick Cave. Though the critics Jury at the Cannes film festival undeservedly did not vote for the film favourably (most probably because they did not like to see the three anti-heroes law breakers prevail against the police, corrupt though they were), it is more likely that at an art-house festival the reviews took exception that they were forced to watch and review a main stream film. Whilst The Proposition was an art-house hit Lawless will have undoubtedly enjoy much wider distribution and be remembered as a modern gangster classic. The original book was written by Jake's very own grandson, brought up on the true story, if most probably slightly exaggerated over repeated retelling though the ages. The film, thoroughly enjoyable and very highly recommended.
