Cannes Critics’ Panel Day 4: John Hillcoat’s Lawless

Formerly know as “The Wettest County,” before shifting to a title which was once being used by Terrence Malick on a project currently in post, Lawless is John Hillcoat’s fifth feature film, third based on a screenplay by Nick Cave, and his first trip to Cannes. Not sure where this U.S. indie production with a sizable budget situates itself in his filmography: but the grades we’ve received informs us that it might not top such items as Ghosts… of the Civil Dead (1988), To Have & to Hold (1996), The Road (2009) and in my opinion, his seminal film so far, The Proposition (2005). Starring an ensemble cast of Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman, Shia LaBeouf, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan, Noah Taylor and Jason Clarke, by the fest’s end, this might be considered a questionable choice by Cannes honcho Thierry Frémaux. Click to enlarge!