Lawless marks yet another collaboration between Australia’s Nick Cave, as screen writer, and director, John Hillcoat, whose past combined efforts include The Road and The Proposition. To broadly summarise the story, the three Bondurant brothers, Forrest (Tom Hardy), Howard (Jason Clarke) and Jack (Shia LaBeouf), are running a successful moonshine trade with the local police enjoying monetary kickbacks until Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce), a Special Deputy from Chicago, arrives and requests a greater cut of the bootlegging for his superiors and himself. Thrown into the mix are bootlegger Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman) and two love interests for Forrest and Jack Bondurant (Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska, respectively). From here on the movie follows a not-so-typical power struggle between the likeable bootleggers and the corrupt law enforcement.

Performances from Hardy and Pearce particularly stand out. Hardy’s stoic Forrest delivers some of the most unexpectedly funny lines in the movie and Pearce shows one his creepiest portrayals to date. LaBeouf plays a generally annoying character but he certainly displays a potential unseen in his past blockbusters. The large supporting cast bulk up the scenes but a greater presence from Oldman wouldn’t have hurt.

Lawless suffers a little due to what seemed like the poor decision to market it as a star studded gangster binge. There is plenty of swilling of distilled liquor likely to make you blind, cigar smoking and fedora hat wearing to appease those after the gangster aesthetic but Lawless offers something a tad more lyrical; it resembles a Bad Seed’s murder ballad more than it does, say, Boardwalk Empire or The Untouchables. The violence is plentiful but contrasted with some genuinely jaw-dropping establishing shots of the countryside. Aspects of the film, like LaBeouf’s narration and the odd corny montage, border on the cliché and formulaic and dampen the overall originality of the experience.

While it doesn’t reach the same highs as previous screenplay, The Proposition, Nick Cave proves himself again as a worthy screenwriter fast creating a trademark refreshingly alternative to the usual Hollywood scripting. Dialogue is sharp and a pleasure to simply listen to. The score, also recorded by Nick Cave and Bad Seed and Dirty Three violinist, Warren Ellis, really finishes off the experience by adding some substance and atmosphere to the blood and scenery. Cave and Ellis try their hand at bluegrass, opting to play and record the songs themselves, and for this, Lawless is worth the admission alone.

Lawless is a very enjoyable experience and a testament to the interesting and vibrant work Cave and Hillcoat create when collaborating. While at times it does feel like a missed opportunity at something more unique, Lawless’s stand-out performances, gore, sharp writing and amazing score run laps around the bulk of movies released this past year.

See Lawless. The 190-proof moonshine with your popcorn is optional.