Lawless

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Lawless

R

2012

1h 55m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

217 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In 1931, the Bondurant brothers of Franklin County, Va., run a multipurpose backwoods establishment that hides their true business, bootlegging. Middle brother Forrest (Tom Hardy) is the brain of the operation; older Howard (Jason Clarke) is the brawn, and younger Jack (Shia LaBeouf), the lookout. Though the local police have taken bribes and left the brothers alone, a violent war erupts when a sadistic lawman (Guy Pearce) from Chicago arrives and tries to shut down the Bondurants operation.

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Critics Consensus

Grim, bloody, and utterly flawed, Lawless doesn't quite achieve the epic status it strains for, but it's too beautifully filmed and powerfully acted to dismiss.

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J. Hoberman

ARTINFO.com

02/22/2019

Lawless wants to be something larger than life, but it's too joyless to be a tall tale and too self-satisfied for tragedy.

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Nicolas Rapold

Film Comment Magazine

07/01/2013

Hillcoat makes a foray into Virginia's Prohibition-era moonshine country. But the adaptation (by Hillcoat compadre Nick Cave) is a hokey piece of pop history that wearyingly insists upon its own mythos like a comic-book blockbuster.

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David Thomson

The New Republic

06/14/2013

It's slight and casual to the point of laziness, but it's straight fun, done with knowledge and a laconic pleasure. You could do far worse.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 20

3/5

"Lawless" has its easily definable good guys, bad guys, and, most crucial of all, the morality play that plugs in emotion to a foreign and past barbaric time.

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Iván Kazi

EscribiendoCine

04/12/2023

8/10

The percentage of elevated violence impregnates and propels almost every facet of the protagonists' life. [Full review in Spanish]

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

10/03/2022

3/4

There isn't much dimension to these proceedings and not an inkling of greater meaning beyond the story at hand, but it’s such a well-made picture that one can hardly protest.

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Leaburn O

Nov 3

It’s actually a good addition to the gangster genre after I thought we’d previously done this theme to death. Syrupy ending aside, I really enjoyed. Watched on DVD.

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Oaklee D

@ODie63 Nov 3

An entertaining crime film, which is bold and at times brutal, worth watching at least once.

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Daniel N

Sep 1

Cool story, very entertaining, nice mix of drama, action and romance.

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scott M.

@smiller_6 Aug 10

loved it………………………………

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Paul C

Aug 2

The only movie I’ve seen in recent times worse than this Pyle of crap is the Irishman. It’s like watching paint dry.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 20

Success in 1 hour and 55 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Some Sexuality/Nudity, Language and Strong Bloody Violence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $37,300,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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John Hillcoat

Director

Shia LaBeouf

Jack Bondurant

Tom Hardy

Forrest Bondurant

Jason Clarke

Howard Bondurant

Guy Pearce

Charley Rakes

Jessica Chastain

Maggie Beauford

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Synopsis

In 1931, the Bondurant brothers of Franklin County, Va., run a multipurpose backwoods establishment that hides their true business, bootlegging. Middle brother Forrest (Tom Hardy) is the brain of the operation; older Howard (Jason Clarke) is the brawn, and younger Jack (Shia LaBeouf), the lookout. Though the local police have taken bribes and left the brothers alone, a violent war erupts when a sadistic lawman (Guy Pearce) from Chicago arrives and tries to shut down the Bondurants operation.

Director: John Hillcoat
Producer: Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Megan Ellison, Michael Benaroya
Screenwriter: Nick Cave
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Annapurna Pictures, Blumhansonallen Films, Douglas Wick/Lucy Fisher
Rating: R (Some Sexuality/Nudity|Language|Strong Bloody Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 29, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $37.3M
Runtime: 1h 55m

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