Lawless (2012) is a good goddamn movie

Lawless is on Netflix and I’m giving it a rewatch, probably my third in total. The ensemble cast is stellar and Hardy has one of his single best roles ever — and his cardigans are on point. Guy Pearce sets himself up as a loathing villain: two dimensional in his “I hate hicks” attitude, but cold, angry, a germaphobe, and so dapper. Shia is a great contrast to Hardy as they build him to be the youngest, physically weakest brother. Jason Clarke is... well, he’s alright. He’s middle of the road (“Have you met Howard?”) but they would struggle if they had three really strong personalities fighting for screen time.

The worldbuilding is interesting and appeals to the sense of curiosity: they juxtapose the dirty, muddy faces in rural VA. They show the African-American wake in town and the big cities being shot up by Floyd. There’s the dichotomy of heavily religious townspeople living alongside backwoods moonshiners and corrupt officials.

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend putting it on and bearing witness. It’s god damn good.

Submitted January 25, 2020 at 08:33PM by INGWR https://ift.tt/2tNXINi