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LAWLESS (2012)Movie Reviews
Drama about the Bondurant Brothers, three bootleggers chasing the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. Cast:Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Guy Pearce, Gary OldmanDirector:John HillcoatRelease Date:August 29, 2012DVD Release:November 27, 2012From:The Weinstein CompanyRating:RLength:1 hr 55 min
Lawless (2012) played to good not great reviews. • Alison Willmore wrote for Movieline, "As rollicking and rough as a drive down a dirt road with no suspension... The appeal of the film is not the story it tells but rather the world that it creates." • And Mike Russell called the film in the Portland Oregonian, "...a brawly, bloody, self-conscious folk myth." More Reviews Below...
Lesley Messer, People: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...so violent you'll gasp -- but it's breathtaking in more ways than one.... I dare you to stop thinking about 'Lawless'... especially knowing it's all inspired by real events."(See all of Lesley Messer's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 211 words, 08/23/12
Richard Corliss, Time: FAIR "Bursting with well observed violence and boasting fine turns from its best performers... Yet it remains more artifact than breathing work of art..."(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,086 words, 05/19/12
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...ultra-violent... plays like a hot, sweaty, delusional fever dream and is similarly fitful. It can be visceral and operatic, beautiful and brutal but also slow and overlong."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 578 words, 08/28/12
Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...comes up a bit short.... the Bondurant brothers were a fascinating, wily bunch -- and worthy of more than such a watered-down version of their lives."(See all of Mara Reinstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 132 words, 08/30/12
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: VERY GOOD(cg) "Tom Hardy's presence is compelling, but the film comes fully alive only when it turns bloody. At those moments, though, it has the kick of a mule."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 280 words, 05/19/12
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...an ambitious try.... a solid outlaw adventure, but you can feel it straining for a greatness that stays out of reach."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 249 words, 08/31/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: MODERATE(cg) "Anachronistic moments, stilted dialogue and formulaic characters hamper this intermittently involving tale... 'Lawless' simply feels lifeless."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 488 words, 08/30/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a well-made film about ignorant and violent people... I can only admire this film's craftsmanship and acting, and regret its failure to rise above them."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 800 words, 08/29/12
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...simultaneously overheated and reverent... it's all handled with a lot of cinematic brio, strong action and overall cheekiness, some of which works..."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 706 words, 08/28/12
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a tense, engaging piece that finds time for moments of levity, darker comedy, and romance.... well-made... deserves to be seen on a big screen."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 783 words, 08/29/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (14 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "There are too many action-movie clichés without enough dramatic purpose, and interesting themes and anecdotes are scattered around without being fully explored."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 616 words, 08/29/12
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: EXCELLENT(cg) "The taut script takes a few unnecessary shortcuts, and the energy flags a bit before the finale. Still, the action is, overall, as exciting as the primary performances..."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 342 words, 08/29/12
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...a movie divorced from reality... fueled instead by empty mythmaking, and escalating levels of meanness and retribution... Mayhem never tasted more like medicine."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 558 words, 08/29/12
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: WEAK(cg) "...lethargic.... With little feel for the era and sets and costumes, this snoozer is a lot closer to 'The Dukes of Hazzard' than 'Boardwalk Empire.' "(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 498 words, 08/29/12
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Tom Hardy is so charismatic, you may stick with the film through thick and thin... it is very consciously more fable than fully fleshed historical fiction."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 548 words, 08/29/12
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a lush-looking drama.... A poignant coda attempts to provide gravitas, but really, who needs it? 'Lawless' is well-made Hollywood entertainment..."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 308 words, 08/29/12
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: POOR "...dead weight... When Pearce and Hardy face off, the film becomes Bad Day at Petticoat Junction... packaged like Dom Perignon, but it's cruder than rotgut."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 414 words, 08/29/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a well-made film about ignorant and violent people... I can only admire this film's craftsmanship and acting, and regret its failure to rise above them."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 800 words, 08/29/12
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Hillcoat does achieve moments that etch into the mind... but the narrative often seems at odds with the director's pictorialism, trudging when it should be striding..."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 932 words, 08/29/12
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: MODERATE(cg) "All slicked up but mostly firing blanks... Prohibition-era western looks and sounds great but fails to tell a compelling story."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 517 words, 08/29/12
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE(cg) "...a botched brew of hillbilly romp and ultraviolence... the dull thud behind the eyes and queasiness in the stomach last far longer than the few intoxicating high points."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 647 words, 08/29/12
Karina Longworth, LA Weekly: MODERATE "Never-not-fun junk food enlivened by good actors and a thin ghosting of Hollywood-style 'relevancy,' but only barely enough actual substance..."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 134 words, 05/19/12
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "John Hillcoat and Nick Cave are masters of brutality.... But their new film doesn't offer them the same sort of scale or operatic resonance.... miscalculated..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 252 words, 08/23/12
KEY CITIES (12 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: MODERATE(cg) "...a modestly respectable genre exercise.... an inescapable sense of 'so what?' sets in early, almost as soon as Shia LaBeouf begins his lackluster opening narration."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 684 words, 08/29/12
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a story of entrepreneurship, of family, of fighting for one's rights -- the right to make white lightning, and money. It's as American as apple pie."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 447 words, 08/29/12
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "Hillcoat provides bruising action, solid performances and local color, but the story shifts focus too often to build the headlong momentum it deserves."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 08/29/12
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "...one of those movies that feels like it's trying to say something more important than it really is.... but with Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce on board, it's plenty good enough."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 719 words, 08/29/12
Mark Feeney, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The singer Nick Cave wrote the script, and 'Lawless' is full of music that contributes to the film's period authenticity. Cave and Warren Ellis did the score."(See all of Mark Feeney's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 616 words, 08/29/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...occasionally entertaining.... But ultimately, 'Lawless' is just another gangster movie, and not a very good one -- a pale imitation of Robert Mitchum's 'Thunder Road.' "(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 531 words, 08/29/12
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "The filmmakers detail a long-gone conflict from a long-lost era and end up showing how the dreams and longings that motivate Americans never really change."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 621 words, 08/29/12
Soren Andersen, Seattle Times: MODERATE(cg) "...never really coheres. Its violence is sporadic, and two of its most interesting characters disappear from the story for long periods of time.... surprisingly listless."(See all of Soren Andersen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 295 words, 08/29/12
Mike Russell, Portland Oregonian: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a brawly, bloody, self-conscious folk myth.... the filmmakers fill the screen with period grit, broadly sketched characters and eruptions of pain."(See all of Mike Russell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 280 words, 08/29/12
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...tries to out-race our suspicion that we've seen this era portrayed better in 'Bonnie and Clyde' and 'Boardwalk Empire'.... it's a frustratingly slow boil."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 390 words, 08/29/12
Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "John Hillcoat handles the macho material well, creating violent set pieces punctuating screenwriter Nick Cave's flinty face-off dialogues.... fascinating..."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 455 words, 08/30/12
Tom Long, Detroit News: GOOD(cg) "As impressive as the roster is, the film can feel overstuffed.... a sprawling story of dirt road bloodlines and stubbornness, solid but a bit out of control."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 386 words, 08/29/12
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (10 Reviews)
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Hillcoat does achieve moments that etch into the mind... but the narrative often seems at odds with the director's pictorialism, trudging when it should be striding..."(See all of Nick Pinkerton's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 932 words, 08/29/12
Katey Rich, Cinema Blend: EXCELLENT(cg) "...shot through with good humor that balances out the blackness, and performances that liven up even rote plots of revenge, 'Lawless' earns its detours..."(See all of Katey Rich's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 608 words, 08/28/12
Karina Longworth, LA Weekly: MODERATE "Never-not-fun junk food enlivened by good actors and a thin ghosting of Hollywood-style 'relevancy,' but only barely enough actual substance..."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 134 words, 05/19/12
Keith Phipps, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a lyrical, meditative movie... 'Lawless' really comes to life when the action starts to heat up and its tone locks into Pearce's colorful, villainous performance."(See all of Keith Phipps's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 484 words, 08/30/12
Cynthia Fuchs, Pop Matters: POOR(cg) "With so many narrative balls in the air, Jack Bondurant is frequently unfocused, his story a bit herky-jerky, and his perspective limited."(See all of Cynthia Fuchs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 781 words, 08/29/12
Alison Willmore, Movieline: EXCELLENT(cg) "As rollicking and rough as a drive down a dirt road with no suspension... The appeal of the film is not the story it tells but rather the world that it creates."(See all of Alison Willmore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 829 words, 08/28/12
Jesse Cataldo, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "...elevates pulp fare with the trappings of prestige, even as it dares itself to go as nasty as possible.... colorful, carefully paced, deliriously violent..."(See all of Jesse Cataldo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 554 words, 08/26/12
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: WEAK(cg) "John Hillcoat and Nick Cave are masters of brutality.... But their new film doesn't offer them the same sort of scale or operatic resonance.... miscalculated..."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 252 words, 08/23/12
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a novel of a film, magnificently observed moments of human nature placed within a complex thematic tapestry... I love this movie. It is grimly luscious..."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,068 words, 08/28/12
HIGHBROW PRESS (7 Reviews)
John Anderson, Wall Street Journal: GOOD "...smartly adapted by rocker-cum-screenwriter Nick Cave... one of those films that, through seeming serendipity, has a cast that defines its moment."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 785 words, 08/31/12
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "There are too many action-movie clichés without enough dramatic purpose, and interesting themes and anecdotes are scattered around without being fully explored."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 616 words, 08/29/12
Anthony Lane, New Yorker: GOOD "Jessica Chastain, as usual, manages to seem both paper-frail and tough enough... Shia LeBeouf gives John Hillcoat's film a pulse and a purpose that it sorely needs."(See all of Anthony Lane's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,014 words, 08/27/12
Stephanie Zacharek, NPR: MODERATE "...too obvious and not direct enough... heads off in so many directions and introduces so many characters in minor capacities that it springs out of Hillcoat's control."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 672 words, 08/28/12
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...a movie divorced from reality... fueled instead by empty mythmaking, and escalating levels of meanness and retribution... Mayhem never tasted more like medicine."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 558 words, 08/29/12
Dana Stevens, Slate: FAIR "There's something at the movie's heart that remains flimsy and inauthentic, a kid in his older brother's ill-fitting shoes... overstuffed, underbaked..."(See all of Dana Stevens's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 780 words, 08/30/12
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Elevating the story to a grotesque or mythic plane works well at some points and less well at others... offers a compelling, gruesome and instructive time-travel exercise."(See all of Andrew O'Hehir's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,322 words, 08/29/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
Leslie Felperin, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "Moonshine, machismo and rivers of gore make for a heady brew... a classy genre piece... for those with a strong stomach for onscreen violence, it will hit the spot."(See all of Leslie Felperin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 735 words, 05/19/12
David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "...a muscular slice of grisly Americana rooted in flavorful Prohibition-era outlaw legend... set in a vivid milieu, told with style and populated by a terrific ensemble."(See all of David Rooney's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,029 words, 05/19/12
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "...a movie divorced from reality... fueled instead by empty mythmaking, and escalating levels of meanness and retribution... Mayhem never tasted more like medicine."(See all of Robert Abele's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 558 words, 08/29/12
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: GOOD(cg) "...stylishly elegant, ultra violent... one cannot deny its best element: the high-caliber cast... Shia LaBeouf, Jason Clarke, and best of all Tom Hardy..."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 499 words, 05/21/12
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "There are too many action-movie clichés without enough dramatic purpose, and interesting themes and anecdotes are scattered around without being fully explored."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 616 words, 08/29/12
John Anderson, Wall Street Journal: GOOD "...smartly adapted by rocker-cum-screenwriter Nick Cave... one of those films that, through seeming serendipity, has a cast that defines its moment."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 785 words, 08/31/12
18.2 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Lawless (2012)'s reviews are separated by an average 18.2 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Lawless (2012) (50 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Lawless (2012)'s reviews cover 99.3% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 28,861 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 577 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 21 Days Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Lawless (2012)'s reviews on average broke 21 days before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Lawless (2012)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Lawless (2012) (50 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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