Starring: Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, Shia LaBeouf
Director: John Hillcoat
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Release Date: November 27, 2012
Run Time: 116 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
When I first heard of “Lawless”, a film about bootlegging brothers in a Prohibition-era Virginia, I wasn’t completely sold. Then I found out about this all-star cast including Shia LaBeouf (“Transformers” franchise,) Tom Hardy (“The Dark Knight Rises”), Gary Oldman (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Mia Wasikowska (“Alice in Wonderland”), Jessica Chastain (“The Help”) and Guy Pearce (“Prometheus”), and I was instant sold. The performances in this film are honestly Oscar worthy. Tom Hardy is amazing, as is Gary Oldman and Guy Pierce. All three of them are having a great year with “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Prometheus”. This is easily one of my favorite films of the year with a hell of a wild-kick ass showdown. Highly recommended.
Official Premise: They were brothers who became outlaws, and outlaws who became heroes… The three Bondurant boys (Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke), along with their sultry new hire (Jessica Chastain), command the most lucrative bootlegging operation in Franklin County, Virginia. The locals consider them “indestructible.” But the law — in the form of a corrupt special deputy (Guy Pearce) — wants a cut of their action, at any cost. When youngest brother Jack (LaBeouf) gets a taste of power with a deadly gangster (Gary Oldman), the whole business blows sky high. Based on the astonishing true story, the Bondurant brotherhood is the stuff of legend.
The film is releases as a Blu-ray combo Pack. It comes a Blu-ray, a DVD and a digital copy disc. The Blu-ray resolution looks sharp with its 1080p transfer and it’s original aspect ratio: 2.39:1. The sound is also sharp with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. The bullets are literally flying by your head and the period music sounds great. The special features include an audio commentary with Director John Hillcoat and Author Matt Bondurant; two featurettes: “The True Story of the Wettest County In The World” and “Franklin County, VA: Then and Now”; Willie Nelson’s “Midnight Run” music video; and deleted scene. Overall they are very impressive and are a nice compliment to the film.