Movie Review: LAWLESS

LAWLESS

2012

R

"I'm a Bondurant. We don't lay down for nobody."

-- Forrest Bondurant

Lawless is a 2012 crime drama directed by John Hillcoat that is adapted from Matt Bondurant's 2008 novel, The Wettest County in the World. The story follows the Bondurants, a family of three brothers led by the eldest Forrest (Tom Hardy), who run an illegal moonshine business in Franklin County, Virginia in the midst of the Prohibition era. With the help of his brothers Jack (Shia LaBeouf) and Howard (Jason Clarke), Forrest has become one of the biggest suppliers of moonshine in the county. One day, a special deputy from Chicago named Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce) is brought into the county in order to destroy the bootlegging businesses, and he immediately clashes with the Bondurant clan. He starts to rid the county of its numerous illegal distilleries, and he soon starts a personal vendetta against Forrest Bondurant. Youngest brother Jack finds a way to keep the business afloat, only increasing the tension between the brothers and the ever-present Rakes.

I first heard about this film about a year ago when it was still to be titled The Wettest County in the World. At the time, I took a passing glance, noticing it merely for its casting star power, but it didn't necessarily ring a bell as a must-see. When the film's trailer was released, however, something about the stylistic grittiness compelled me to at least give it a view. The film has opened to moderately positive reviews, but I can't quite say they've been entirely stellar thus far.

One of the biggest issues most critics - including myself - have had with Lawless is its screenplay. While there's definitely a strong and emotional story of family bonds and revenge hidden beneath it all, there seems to be a little too much extra storyline given to the film. At its core, the story should be about the three brothers and their loyalty to one another, regardless of how much they drive one another crazy. There were a few ancillary characters that turned out to be more important than they should have been, and it ultimately helps to bog down the story a little bit. Despite this, the film's climax and finale still prove to be quite strong, even with the obstacles along the way.

Where this film's strength truly lies is in its cast. Now, I have to start by saying that I have never been much of a fan of Shia LaBeouf. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but there have been times where I have downright hated his presence on-screen. However, I think Lawless will ultimately be the film where we as the audience see LaBeouf mature into a legitimate actor right before our very eyes. At the start of the film, he almost seems a little bit of touch, as he often does, but by film's end, there's a power and a grace to his acting ability that I haven't seen him convey before. I have to tip my hat to the young actor for breaking out of his acting shell and transforming (pun intended) himself into something entirely different.

The rest of the cast fills out quite nicely as well. Tom Hardy continues to prove to me that he is one of the better actors working in Hollywood today. You can place his performance in Lawless right next to his noteworthy turns in 2009's Bronson and 2011's Warrior. Pearce is also great as the film's central villain, and I thought he brought the film's second-best character (behind Hardy's Forrest) to the screen. Also worth mention for their smaller, albeit not entirely necessary, roles are Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska, who all manage to bring strong performances to the film.

At the end of the day, Lawless manages to bring together a very strong ensemble cast that ultimately falls prey to a less-than-stellar screenplay. Still, the strength of the performances helps to keep this film afloat, and an emotional second act gives the audience an opportunity to stay engaged and involved with the events on-screen. See it for Hardy and Pearce's performances, and be surprised by the growth of Shia LaBeouf into a legitimate actor.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: B+

Status: Should See

Movie Review: ALBERT NOBBS

ALBERT NOBBS

2011
R


"You don't have to be anything but who you are."
-- Hubert Page

Albert Nobbs is a 2011 drama directed by Rodrigo García that centers around a woman presenting herself as a man in order to make decent living wages in nineteenth-century Ireland. For years, Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close) has been passing herself off as a man while working her way towards opening her own tobacco shop, but during her time at Morrison's Hotel, her secret is unexpectedly learned by a visiting painter named Hubert Page (Janet McTeer), who happens to hold the same secret. When Albert learns that Hubert has managed to secure a wife and has been living happily as a man for some time, she hopes to do the same. She starts to try to woo a young woman at Morrison's named Helen (Mia Wasikowska), who has fallen into a deep infatuation with a younger and much more hotheaded man named Joe (Aaron Johnson), who tries to talk Helen into taking some of Albert's money so that they can run off to America together.

I had heard a little bit about this film a few months ago, but now that it has been nominated for three Academy Awards, it has started to gain a little more public notice. Having garnered nominations for both Close and McTeer - as well as one for the makeup in the film - it's no surprise that those were the two I was most excited to see. I went into the viewing relatively blind, having not known that the movie itself had received rather mixed reviews despite its high-caliber cast and reportedly strong performances. Had I known this beforehand, I may not have been as eager to see Albert Nobbs as I had been originally.

Let's start with the acting, considering that's what's getting most of the buzz. While Close and McTeer are both very good in their respective roles, I did not see anything that was truly outstanding from either of them. Sure, they offer interesting characters, but there was never a moment that truly made them stand above the rest of the cast. In all honesty, I thought Wasikowska and Johnson happened to steal the show, bringing a lot more emotion and a sense of real-ness to their performances. Their characters seemed more realistic, and even though I wanted to hate both of them from time to time, they ultimately felt more believable than either the Albert or Hubert characters. If these two managed to score Oscar nominations for their roles, then I'd have to say that this year's field is mighty shallow indeed. We also get some small performances from the likes of Brendan Gleeson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, so be on the lookout for them as well.

I think the film's real issue, however, lies in its screenplay. While we're getting an interesting story that offers a clever narrative, it never once manages to pack the emotional punch that you're waiting for throughout the film. From the very outset, I had the feeling that there would be this huge moment of emotion and catharsis where everyone learned of Albert's true identity, and while that moment does come, it all seemed a tad bit anti-climactic. There seemed to be a lot of emotional moments in the film, but it's told in such a dry and humdrum manner than it was difficult for me to find reason to care about any of the characters. They're all rather one-dimensional - with the exception of McTeer's Hubert - and I found that to be a tad bit annoying after a while. Give me some character arc or at least a little bit of depth, ya know? Ultimately, every facet of the screenplay just seemed to fall flat, and it ultimately hurts the film in the long run.

As I said before, the Academy must have been scratching and searching for nominees for this year's awards if they managed to award Albert Nobbs with multiple nominations. While it's by no means the worst film I've seen this year, it definitely ranks as one of the more disappointing. At the end of the day, it's a boring tale of a woman who's pretending to be a man in order to make a few more bucks. And when a movie starts to get boring, it's going to lose its audience. And let me tell you: this one lost me pretty early.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: C
0.5 Thumbs Up

Movie Review: JANE EYRE

JANE EYRE

2011
PG-13

Jane Eyre is a 2011 drama directed by Cary Fukunaga. It's an adaptation of the 1847 Charlotte Brontë novel of the same name. The film mostly plays through flashbacks as the titular character (Mia Wasikowska) remembers how her life progressed and how she found herself in the stead of a young priest named St. John Rivers (Jamie Bell) and his two sisters. The audience learns that Jane was placed in an all-girls home after her aunt accused her of being a liar, and the time she spends in the institution hardens her resolve. Upon leaving the home, Jane finds work as a governess at Thornfield Hall, home to a mysterious Edward Fairfax Rochester (Michael Fassbender), where she takes to teaching Rochester's French-speaking daughter. Eventually, Rochester returns home and meets Jane; he soon takes a liking to her, and the pair go back-and-forth with their affections and their loyalties. As time progresses, however, the feelings they have for one another cannot be withheld. Unfortunately, it turns out that Rochester may have a secret or two hidden deep within the walls of his eerie mansion estate...

I was originally drawn to this film for two reasons. The first reason stems from the fact that I actually acted in my high school theater department's rendition of Jane Eyre during my junior year. Although I only had bit roles here and there, I still remember my few scenes on-stage (although I never could tell you the storyline for the life of me). The second reason I wanted to see this film was for director Cary Fukunaga. It's only his second feature-length directorial effort, but I absolutely loved his first one (2009's Sin Nombre), so I figured I'd give him another shot and see if he was just a one-hit wonder, so to speak. While Jane Eyre doesn't quite reach the power than Sin Nombre possessed, I'd have to say that Fukunaga could be a director to watch in the future.

I had a couple of issues with the film, but nothing was terribly pressing. The screenplay works well, and it offers a good look at the ups and downs of the love between Jane and Rochester. I wouldn't say it provides twists and turns, but there's definitely little tweaks here and there for those unfamiliar with the storyline. It's a very effective dramatic romance, but I felt like the story moved a little too slowly for my personal tastes. The two-hour flick seemed like it dragged on for a lot longer than that, and it was difficult for me to maintain my interest throughout its entirety. One of my biggest beefs with movies is when they can't hook me from the start, and Jane Eyre never entirely hooked me. I've seen snails move faster than this one.

That being said, we actually get a pretty good acting ensemble in the flick. Wasikowska is starting to stamp herself as one of the better young leading ladies on the Hollywood scene. If you haven't seen her work, you don't have to look far: she starred as the titular character in 2010's Alice in Wonderland and played a semi-lead in 2010's The Kids Are All Right. Look for her to make a splash with awards season in the coming years. Michael Fassbender, who has quickly become one of my favorite actors, also does well with his role as Rochester, but I think he's a little upstaged by Wasikowska. We've also got a decent performance by Dame Judi Dench in a supporting role, but she isn't given much reign with the character. Overall, the acting is quite good - at least, it's better than the average fare you'll find in cinemas at any given time.

At the end of the day, Jane Eyre is a decent dramatic romance flick that will definitely appeal to my female readers more than it did for myself. Up until the minute before the movie started, I was the only guy in the theater, so you can tell who the target demographic probably is. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it; it's a good movie that just moved a little too slow for my own tastes, but that doesn't mean you won't love it (if you're into some romance).

Movie Review Summary:
Grade: B-
1 Thumb Up

Movie Review: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

2010
R

You can watch the trailer here

I know I'm really late in seeing this movie, but I finally got the chance now that it's out on DVD. Thank God for NetFlix, right?

The Kids Are All Right, which was directed by Lisa Cholodenko, follows Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore), a lesbian couple raising two teenage children, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson). The kids take the liberty of finding their sperm donor father Paul (Mark Ruffalo) without their parents' knowledge and meet him. As the kids begin to grow attached to Paul, Nic begins to worry that she's losing a grip on her family. Jules also begins to grow towards Paul after he hires her to landscape his back yard. The continual movement towards Paul and away from Nic eventually leads towards an explosion of emotion, but I won't get into the specifics for fear of giving away too much of the plot.

I was actually extremely impressed with the film's screenplay. On the surface, it reads just like your everyday family drama, with ups and downs and semi-expected twists and turns, but something about The Kids Are All Right just felt a little bit different. Maybe it was the fact that our lead parents are both female, but they still conveyed the same emotional ranges that a heterosexual couple would have. In thinking about it, I think that straight people (or maybe just me) have this idea that a homosexual couple would have a completely different dynamic should they maintain a long-term relationship such as a marriage with children. But instead, I saw a relationship that's very similar to what I'm used to seeing in mainstream media, and I think that helped the film. I think it goes a long way to show that love is just love, regardless of who the lovers are.

As much as I loved the storyline and the screenplay, I think most people will watch this movie because of the big-name actresses attached. When the film was released in the summer, a lot of the speculation was whether Bening or Moore would be receiving an Oscar nomination in a leading role. Honestly, it could go either way, and both have scored leading actress nominations for the upcoming Golden Globes, albeit in the comedy category (I personally saw the movie as a drama more than a comedy). I only hope that they don't both get nominated in the same category for an Oscar because that could essentially prove costly in that neither may win (although it'll be tough to beat Natalie Portman's performance from Black Swan). However, not enough has been said for the other three main actors in the film. Ruffalo has SAG and Independent Spirit Award nominations for his supporting role, but I haven't heard anything about either Hutcherson or Wasikowska. Sure, they're not quite as good as our big three, and they're not going to garner any nominations, but they're still very, very good in their respective roles.

All in all, I think this is a definite must-see heading into the awards season. It should pick up at least a couple Oscar nominations - I'd be shocked if neither Bening nor Moore finds her way into the Best Actress race - but I guess we'll have to wait and see. Do yourself a favor and give it a watch. You won't be disappointed.

Movie Review:
Grade: A
Current All-Time Rank: Best - #84
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Awards
2010: 6 nominations, 4 wins