Lawless

A movie filled with so many great actors and so much potential, you would think it would be amazing. It did have some great moments but over all the talent is wasted. The film is based on the true story of Forest, Jack, and Howard Bondurant and their times as bootleggers in the 1920's. It was a time when the law was slightly bending to forms of personal justice rather than law and order. Gangsters roamed the streets willing to kill anyone that got in their way.

Forest is the oldest and leader of the three Bondurant men. He is played by the very talented Tom Hardy whose talent is hidden in this film. He tends to mumble and beat his way through this movie with very little heart. A role that could have shinned was only luke warm. Then we have Howard played by Jason Clarke who is the Bondurant drunk of the family. His character has no common sense and all he does is drink all the moonshine! Then there is the youngest Bondurant Jack played by Shia LaBeouf who is the most annoying character EVER! The whole movie he keeps messing up his brother's plans and then crying about it. He is a big coward that has a big mouth. I seriously wanted to punch him every ten minutes. There is literally not one redeeming quality about him.

The rest of the cast is a little better we have the charming Mia Wasikowska as Bertha. She is the girl that Jack swoons over and she is the daughter of the local minister. We have to have more than one female so we have Jessica Chastain as Maggie. Maggie is a beautiful woman who is escaping her life of troubles and sin in Chicago. She take a job as a waitress at the Bondurant shop. Of course she has to create trouble between the locals because of her beauty.

 We have Guy Pearce as Charlie Rakes a very odd character indeed. He is the new law enforcer from Chicago who shows up to clean up the bootleggers. He is such an odd character, pure evil and has a fear of germs...very interesting. Guy does bring a creepy carefree feel to the role.

By far the best actor in the whole film is Gary Oldman. He is raw talent and charisma mixed with a cold ruthless gangster attitude. Gary Oldman plays Floyd Banner a gangster from Chicago who comes down to get moonshine for the big city. He is by far the best part of this movie and he is only in like 5 scenes! His talent is completely wasted.

Over all the movie is good. It's dramatic and has some really great talent. Sadly the talent is wasted and film is luke warm. I guess I was just disappointed in the lack of story and the wasted talent. I still enjoyed the movie.

Over All I give the movie a B+