Every year we preview the best and most hotly anticipated films to be shown at the annual Cannes film festival, and this year is no different, as over the next week or so, heading into the festival we will bring you our picks of the line-up. Although robbed of the opportunity to see Prometheus or The Dark Knight Rises in a special celebratory slot at this year's fest, those in attendance will be buoyed by what looks like a strong line-up both in and outside of competition. The first two films in our preview series are undoubtedly the crown jewel of this year's line-up - both dealing with crime, packing stellar talent and both coincidentally given different, and more commercial titles from the original book sources. Next up will be Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly, but first, probably the single most personally exciting title of the fest, John Hillcoat's Lawless. Set in prohibition America, the film follows three bootlegging brothers, played by Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf and Jason Clarke who find themselves under threat from a violent deputy (Guy Pearce) in Prohibition era Franklin County, Virginia, an infamous moonshine hotspot. And by all accounts, it looks like a star of the Autumn's release schedule, as well as a strong contender to be the biggest commercial success on show at Cannes.
Reasons to be Excited...
The Cast Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Mia Wasikowska and Shia LaBeouf. The last two might not be anywhere near as eye-catching as the first four, but it is still one of the finest ensembles of the past few years, with three phenomenally talented character actors set to face-off in crucial roles. Crucially, the cast list also looks balanced, which in some cases means more than having power-houses in every role.
The Weinsteins Influence The powerful brothers are putting their considerable power behind the film, and that spelled success for The Artist last year.
The Big ChanceGiven the caliber of the rest of the cast, and the occasional flashes of talent that the Transformers actor has shown elsewhere (chiefly in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Lawless will surely represent the best opportunity for Shia Laboeuf to make the transition to a leading man. It will at least offer some rejuvenation after the restrictive influence of the god-awful Transformers franchise anyway, and the film is additionally intriguing as a result.
The Director John Hillcoat deserves his reputation despite having only made two major films so far, and if there is one thing the former music video director knows, it is creating a sense of dark menace, which should make for an irresistible tone in Lawless.
The SourceMatt Bondurant's novel "The Wettest County in the World" is one of the finest works depicting the era, and it is also one of the most brutal books ever written. The subject matter alone is completely engaging, but the full-frontal style of Bondurant's writing, as well as his endeavours to retain as much historical accuracy as possible make it as compelling a read as you're likely to pick up. The presence of walking oddity Nick Cave in the script-writing seat is sure to add something as well.
The TrailerEasily one of the finest trailers I've yet seen this year, and the major reason (other than the cast, and the presence of Mr Hardy) that Lawless leaped straight to the top of my Most Anticipated list for Cannes 2012. http://youtu.be/vhAlgm3kVEo Hugely excited for this one. Check back for Matt's review after it screens on the Croisette.