Movie: Lawless (2012)

I chose this particular movie because it tells a story about a very interesting time in the United States history. This point in history was the time of prohibition, and this film is a "gangster movie" about three brothers and their illegal business of selling moonshine in the 1930s. This movie really stands out because it puts the viewers in the time and setting where alcohol was illegal and gangsters and mobsters  controlled the moonshine business. I think this brought in a lot of viewers because there has not been many big time films like this recently, and there were some big time film stars. With actors like Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, and Mia Wasikowska this film brought in over 50 million dollars worldwide. With no other movies like this in theaters I think the director and cast did a great job of depicting what it was like in these times of gang activity and prohibition.

In 1919 Congress passed the National Prohibition Act which banned the manufacturing, transporting and selling of intoxicating liquors. Bootlegging or the illegal production and selling of liquor grew to be a problem for the law that was difficult to enforce. These bootleggers would sell to all different kinds of people, but most times would sell to speakeasies which were illegal drinking spots that were usually guarded well from the outside law. Prohibition only lasted until 1933, but during that time the illegal production and distribution of illegal liquors like moonshine were at an all time high. Prohibition encouraged criminal activity associated with bootlegging to rise. Gangsters and mobsters like the well known Al Capone ran these bootlegging operations and made millions of dollars doing so. But these operations also raised gang activity between different gangs in the bootlegging business, for example the Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago in 1929. 

http://www.history.com/topics/prohibition

The director of this movie was John Hillcoat who was born in 1961 in Queensland, Australia. Hillcoat's career in Fine Arts led him to his enrollment at Swinburne Film School in Australia. Hillcoat's previous directed movies consisted of: Ghosts... of the Civil Dead (1988), To Have and to Hold (1996), The Proposition (2005), The Road (2009), and Red Dead Redemption (2010). 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-hillcoat/

Shia LaBeouf now on the Cover of GQ Magazine

The main stars of Lawless were Shia LaBeouf, and Tom Hardy. Shia has a long history in film and television, but Shia's biggest performances have been in the movies: Disturbia (2007), Eagle Eye (2008), and the Transformers series (2007-2011). Where Shia caught his break was when he was younger and starred in the TV series Even Stevens on the Disney Channel, but then grew up to be a very successful actor of today. 

Actor Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy is an English actor that was born in 1977 in Hammersmith London. Hardy history in the film industry started in 2001 when he appeared in the show Band of Brothers, and also the movie Black Hawk Down. Since then Hardy has appeared in several movies, but his most recent hits have been the movies: Inception (2010), Warrior (2011), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012) where he play the main villain Bane. 

The plot of the film Lawless is the three Bondurant brothers, Forrest (Tom Hardy), Jack (Shia Labeouf), and Howard are doing pretty successful in the bootlegging business producing moonshine using their bar as their front. This takes place in Franklin County, Virginia in 1931.  These brothers do not have any problems with the law in their local county, in fact they are actually selling moonshine to the local Officers. But just when business seemed to be going smoothly, a new Special Deputy Charley Rakes comes into town. Rakes demands that Forrest and the brothers give him a cut of the profit that they make selling this moonshine. But Forrest was not going to be bullied by Rakes and refuses to do business with him and threatens to kill him if he comes back. To not spoil the ending, the rest of the movie consists of Rakes trying to intimidate and shut down the Bondurant's business, which sparks a very action packed and intense film. 

John Hillcoat's other films are similar to Lawless by being a violent movies that represent survival in the characters particular circumstances. Most of his films are full of gun fights and high intensity situations that the characters have to get out of. For example in the movie The Proposition the main actor Guy Pearce (who also appears in Lawless, and The Road) is faced with a dilemma proposed by the police to kill his brother and all his crimes will go away. In The Road civilization has collapse and the characters must scavenge and survive in order to live another day. Hillcoat's work provides much excitement and stressful situations that create excitement for the audience. What I think differs in Lawless from his other films is that he deals with a part of American history. Hillcoat's other films were mostly based in Australia. So learning and directing a part of American history must have been a challenge, but I think he did very well. 

Lawless is similar to other gang and mob movies buy having the problems with the law and other gangs. But I think what separates this movie from the rest is that it is not about a large gang, it is more about small town bootleggers instead of the big city gangsters. They handle situations differently than other old time gangster movies, and shows the brothers companionship for one another.

I think that this movie is important because it provides people with what it was like in Virginia during this time in American history. It is one thing to read about it in the textbooks and in books, but it is another thing to watch and experience what it was really like in those times of Prohibition. I think that it reflect about the American culture that times have really changed. There is not as much dealings with the police and gangs in our time today. Back in the times of Prohibition, dealings with alcohol were dangerous and took guts to get into. It reflects how far the United States has come.

The target audience was definitely all people interesting in history from 17 years of age and older. Anyone who wanted to see what the bootlegging business was like. 

This film included stereotypes. The stereotype that gangsters were ruthless and violent. It also stereotyped that some policemen during the bootlegging times were corrupt and dishonest. But this film did not give out any offensive messages.

I think the main strength of this movie was how the director gave the audience a feeling like they were in that time or era. The acting was good and it didn't feel like I was watching a movie. It felt like I was watching the real thing, instead of knowing it was just acting. I think they did a really good job at doing their research, and incorporating what it was like dealing with the law and other gangs in those times. It felt like I was in 1931 watching from a third person perspective. 

Judging by the box office and reviews, this WAS Hillcoat's best work that he has done so far. I enjoyed it thoroughly and it seems like the majority of people that saw it did too. This film is a one that I will remember and one that I will watch again, probably multiple times in the future. Why? Because it is an action packed movie with a plot that I enjoy, and a cast that performs very well in my eyes. 

Overall the reviews were pretty good. Not winning the best movie of the year award but reviewers seemed to enjoy it overall. 

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/lawless-20120830

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lawless_2012/

http://www.metacritic.com/movie/lawless

Beyond writing this post I have looked up other work that the director has done. I have also gone back and looked at what movies and TV shows the actors and actresses have been in. And I actually watched some of Shia's old Even Stevens episodes. That show used to be my favorite show. When the movie comes out on DVD, I will Redbox it. I might even buy it, who knows. I have talked to my friends and they all said that it was a really good movie that they liked too. 

In conclusion, Lawless was a very good movie in my eyes. I like how the director depicted Virginia in the time during Prohibition, and I thought the storyline was well thought out and put together. I would recommend this movie to anybody that is interested in the United States history, or anybody that just likes a good action packed movie. From doing this blog, it has influenced me to read more into the history of Prohibition and has made me learn information that I didn't know or had forgotten.

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. 

-Sean Curry