Lawless (2012): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Lawless is a 2012 drama western directed by John Hillcoat, starring Guy Pearce, Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf. It is based on The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant. It runs 1 hour 56 minutes and earned $55.4 million worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio or Independent Feature - Drama at the Artios Awards 2013. Critics gave it 67% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 56m (116 min)
- Director
- John Hillcoat
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Weinstein Company, The
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Lawless About?
The premise of Lawless without spoilers, adapted from The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
During Prohibition, in a rural Virginia, the Bondurant brothers run a successful moonshining business. As their operation grows, they attract the attention of corrupt law enforcement officials and rival gangsters, leading to violent clashes and dangerous alliances. The film explores themes of family, loyalty, and the fight for survival in a lawless landscape, inspired by a remarkable true story.
Lawless Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- female frontal nudity
- neo noir
- female full frontal nudity
- bootlegging
- gangster
- jar of moonshine
- shooting a police officer
- clothed male naked female scene
- thompson gun
- modern western
- scantily clad female
- female pubic hair
+38 more Show fewer
- female rear nudity
- moonshine
- prohibition
- violence
- covered bridge
- gas pump
- kicked in the head
- bullet riddled car
- tar and feathers
- exploding building
- hotel
- brutality
- hit with a shovel
- revenge
- hospital
- shot in the throat
- beating
- bootlegger
- foot washing ceremony
- bridge
- castration
- gangster movie
- rags to riches
- great depression
- piedmont
- appalachia
- sex scene
- kiss
- southern gothic
- illicit distillery
- dress as a gift
- fire in an oil drum
- colt single action army revolver
- rape and revenge
- rape
- 1930s
- american criminal
- alcohol
Lawless Cast
Guy Pearce leads the cast, with Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf. Directed by John Hillcoat.
- Director John Hillcoat
More from John Hillcoat
More films directed by John Hillcoat, best-rated first: The Proposition, The Road, Triple 9 and Bob Dylan: Odds and Ends.
Lawless Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Lawless 67% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
-
IMDb 7.2 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 67% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 74%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 58 Metascore
User score 7.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 71% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.4 /5
214 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.8 /5
See on Movie Insider
Lawless Plot Summary
What happens in Lawless from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
During the tumultuous Prohibition era, the Bondurant brothers – Forrest, Howard, and Jack – run a thriving liquor bootlegging operation in Franklin County, Virginia. They cleverly masquerade their illegal activities by using their bar as a front, with the help of their loyal friend, Cricket Pate. When Jack witnesses a chilling scene where mobster Floyd Banner eliminates a rival, it marks the beginning of their complications. Shortly afterward, Forrest recruits Maggie Beauford, a captivating dancer from Chicago, as their new waitress.
Full summary
The whole story of Lawless, scene by scene
Lawless Box Office
Lawless grossed $55.4 million worldwide. $37.4 million came from the US and Canada and $18 million (32%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$55.4M
- US & Canada
- $37.4M
- International
- $18M
Lawless Awards & Nominations
Lawless earned 1 award nomination, including Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio or Independent Feature - Drama at the Artios Awards 2013.
1 nomination1 ceremony
-
Artios Awards 2013 1 nomination- Nominated Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio or Independent Feature - Drama
Lawless Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Lawless.
How Well Do You Know Lawless?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What illegal business do the Bondurant brothers run?
Cars in Lawless
21 cars on screen, including the 1925 Ford Model TT and the Ford Model A.
-
1925 Ford Model TT Main role -
Ford Model A Important role -
1930 Ford Model A Important role -
1931 Ford Model A Important role
Lawless Also Known As
38 alternative titles, including “Sin ley” and “Gangster”.
- Also known as
-
- Sin ley
- Gangster
- 로우리스 2012
- 로우리스
- Поза законом
- Pati girčiausia apygarda pasaulyje
- Os Infratores
- 野蠻正義
- 欲望のバージニア：2012
- Qanunsuzlar
- Des hommes sans loi
- Dos Homens Sem Lei
+26 more Show fewer
- Fékezhetetlen
- Самый пьяный округ в мире
- 无法无天
- Sin Ley (Lawless)
- Kanunsuzlar
- Laittomat
- Bez zakona
- Без закона
- Země bez zákona
- Lawless - Die Gesetzlosen
- คนเถื่อนเมืองมหากาฬ
- Παράνομοι
- ארץ יבשה
- În afara legii
- 로우리스: 나쁜 영웅들
- Беззаконие
- Найп'янкіший округ у світі
- Los Ilegales
- Zem bez zákona
- Virš įstatymo
- Sense llei, უკანონო
- Luật Rừng
- 無法無天
- 欲望のバージニア
- خارج عن القانون
- Nevainojams
Seen Lawless?
Movies Like Lawless
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Lawless Heart, Lawless Valley and A Lawless Street.
Lawless FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Lawless, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Lawless?
Lawless runs 1 hour 56 minutes (116 minutes).
When was Lawless released?
Lawless was released on August 29, 2012.
Who directed Lawless?
Lawless was directed by John Hillcoat.
More films by John Hillcoat Who is in the cast of Lawless?
Lawless stars Guy Pearce, Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf.
How much did Lawless make at the box office?
Lawless grossed $55.4 million worldwide ($37.4 million domestic, $18 million international).
How is Lawless rated?
Lawless has 7.2/10 on IMDb, 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, 58 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.
Is Lawless based on a book?
Yes. Lawless is adapted from The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant.
Was Lawless nominated for any awards?
Lawless received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.
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