Lawless (2012)

All in all, it’s a good—maybe even great—movie. To me, the directing feels way tighter than the script, which was definitely the weak link here. And I don’t mean the actual plot is garbage, but more like the pacing is just off. It felt like the movie would suddenly jump forward in time without any real transition, and there were moments where the characters acted totally out of pocket. Maybe they chopped too much out in the editing room during post-production? Anyone else catch that? On the flip side, it nails that classic crime vibe perfectly. You get those gritty, memorable scenes and some genuinely cool characters—it hits that gangster template right on the head.

Pretty solid stuff.

7.5/10

I can’t quite wrap my head around what was actually contained in that "evidence package" sent over to the homicide sheriff... I suppose I'm just a bit unclear as to which specific agency or department was responsible for handling it, or whatever it was that actually managed the transfer?

Balls.

Killer movie...

It’s a solid movie.
Personally, I found the plot a bit thin in places. It missed out on that classic, heavy-hitting brotherly conflict you'd expect from a story like this.
The pacing was all over the map too—it felt rushed in certain spots and then dragged its feet in others.

Watched the movie last night and honestly? I wasn't impressed. Maybe my expectations were just too high, but it left me wanting more. I don't have an issue with the brutal violence—it actually adds a layer of grit and realism that works for this kind of story. My problem is the narrative itself. It felt like the storytelling could have been much tighter. There were moments where things dragged so much it felt boring, almost like they hit a wall and just threw in some female characters because they didn't know how to move the plot forward.

Honestly, since I could never picture little Shia LaBeouf in this kind of role, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie! It’s really good. I feel like Guy Pearce has been on quite a roll lately—he seems to be in everything these days—but regardless, he does a great job here!

I caught a movie today and added a quick note to that thread about what I've been watching:

Lawless

It’s about three brothers running an alcohol bootlegging operation during Prohibition. I've always had a soft spot for movies set in that era—there's something almost romantic about the crime, even when life is being incredibly harsh and brutal. I enjoyed this one; the characters felt well-fleshed out, and the cast was solid, especially Guy Pearce. It avoids those excessive, gratuitous scenes of torture or assault that usually get under my skin because they're typically handled so poorly, so that was a definite plus. The soundtrack worked for me, and the cinematography was lovely, capturing a lot of great scenery.
Overall, it's a good watch and I'd recommend it, though I can't quite put my finger on what's missing—some small detail just feels slightly off. Still, a good film.

7/10

It's strange hearing people talk about how violent it is, because to me, it felt like most of that was left on the cutting room floor. Honestly, I'd much rather have scenes cut than see them poorly executed.

Maybe I'm just not the type of person who gets worked up by this stuff, because I didn't find it violent at all. My wife told me she thought it was way too intense, but I didn't really notice it. I mean, it's a movie about gangsters; it's not exactly going to be a peaceful stroll through the park.😕

There’s a hell of a lot of violence for a movie with this kind of subject matter.
I mean, you expect the gunfights and people getting blindsided with baseball bats, but there are a few scenes where they just absolutely mangle people.

It feels like every other character has some kind of sadistic streak.