Lawless

6.4

If this flick proves anything, its that Shia LeBeouf can actually act. Of course, Tom Hardy acts circles around him but all parties involved end up coming off flat, mostly due to a lackluster script. All the pieces are in place for a functional period crime drama. Excellent actors, a hearty budget, good cinematography. The script aims to reach the complex heights of Boardwalk Empire, maneuvering a wide array of characters and moving plots. The human aspects behind all these intricate parts are weakly written and directed, keeping every part of the film from coming alive.

Despite poor direction, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain and Gary Oldman (making a brief cameo) auto pilot their way through a film that is way too long and sluggish. The real surprise here is Shia LeBeouf, who gives it his all and, more importantly tones down his signature annoyances that made everything before this unwatchable. While I don't buy his character progression, he is really good at playing the underdog fuck-up and comes away with his best performance to date.

On the other hand, Guy Pierce flubs the devious villain, instead delivering a hammy, weird role that translates all of the script's problems onto screen. Perhaps another editing pass would help reel the film in, chop out unnecessary subplots and give it focus. The film really falls off in the last ten minutes with an unnecessary epilogue that does much more harm than good. It leaves a sour taste lingering and confirms the blunder that the film turns out to be.