Lawless

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Lawless

R

2012

1h 55m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

216 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

07/20/2025

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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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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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/23/2022

4/5

“Lawless” is a tough, bloody, and violent action picture that’s very honest in what it’s trying to be. The story is simple and nothing will catch you by surprise. But it’s also compelling and the characters are easy to invest in.

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Meri S

@mschroeder Jul 25

That was a violent one. The acting was good, casting well done. Need a palette cleanser after watching this one though.

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Rob A

@RT76386004 Jun 20

A violent period piece (prohibition) with an unbelievable cast including Jason Clarke, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pierce, Gary Oldman and Shia Lebouf.

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Haley S.

@haleyserafine May 30

Hands down my favorite movie! Never gets old. 💙

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Leaburn O

@RT35452347 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

@Hotchopeppa Sep 1

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

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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