Stepping back in history provides a fascinating backdrop to stories.
Mark Twain's much used quote "Truth is stranger than fiction" is often the case when historical events are transformed into movies.
Lawless is set in Depression-era Virginia and focuses on the Bondurant brothers, Forrest (Tom Hardy), Jack (Shia LaBeouf) and Howard (Jason Clarke).
The deeds these boys get up to are hard to believe but their story is real.
The Bondurants live in an era of prohibition and in their part of the world bootlegging is the done thing. Overlooked by the police, they go about their business distilling alcohol and selling it to the thirsty locals.