Known previously as The Wettest County before getting the dreadfully bland title of Lawless (which conjures images of Gerard Butler or some other abnormally beefy star with impossible abs kicking ass through some generic action flick), I am really looking forward to this for a number of reasons:
- John Hillcoat is the director. If you’ve not watched the 2005 western The Proposition, you’re missing out on one of the best, moodiest films of the past decade. He also directed the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, which was pretty damn good in its own right (and fun fact, much of that post-apocalyptic tale was filmed in Erie).
- The book rocks. Speaking of Cormac, the book this is based on (The Wettest County in the World) channels him quite a bit. The prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s and the subsequent consequences is a fascinating subject. Everyone knows Al Capone and Nucky Thompson, but there was so much more going on throughout the states. Plus, it’s written by the grandson/grandnephew of the characters in the book. Bonus: I’ve used excerpts of this book in my class the past two years.
- Nick Cave is not only doing the music, but he also wrote the screen play adaptation. Yes, the Nick Cave. Seriously, are there any limits to what this guy can do? For previous Nick Cave music work on films, see The Proposition and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford for two of the most mesmerizing film scores in years.
- Gary Oldman. The greatest living actor?
- Tom Hardy. Guy Pearce. Jessica Chastain. Mia Wasikowska. What a cast… and okay, okay Shia too. I’ll give him another chance, even if I’m still irrationally bitter over Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Best Picture at the Oscars?
