Despite some charismatic cast members, and a final-act reveal that beggars belief, Laws of Man can’t overcome its budgetary or narrative limitations.
Director: Phil Blattenberger
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Run Time: 98′
Rated: R
U.S. Release: January 10, 2025
U.K. Release: TBA
Where to Watch: in select theaters, on digital and on demand
Credit to writer/director Phil Blattenberger; he lets us know that things might get rocky by opening Laws of Man on a shot of a burning shack, while a helpless horse watches on. The rest of the film is as messy (yet just as strangely compelling) as a burning building. It’s chaotic and makes little sense, but it promises gleeful carnage. As the fire rages, Dermot Mulroney sashays into the shot. His hammy bearing sets him up as the villain, and he confirms it by putting the poor horse out of its misery.
As time goes on, Laws Of Man mixes conventions of Westerns and cop procedurals with a healthy dollop of conspiracy theory. Needless to say, subtlety is not in its wheelhouse.
It’s 1963 in rural Nevada. The aftermath of the shack fire heralds the arrival of two U.S. Marshals (who are dressed as FBI agents for some reason, though they often point out they are not Hoover men). The two could not be more different. Frank (Jacob Keohane) is straight-laced and by-the-book, while Tommy (Jackson Rathbone) is cocksure and self-assured. This pairing could not be more clichéd, and Blattenberger’s script for Laws of Man brings nothing fresh to their dynamic.
That said, it doesn’t help that Rathbone is positively terrible in his role. He gets by in quieter moments, but any attempts at emotion only serve to make us wonder how he got onscreen again after The Last Airbender. By contrast, Keohane is a compelling enough screen presence. A regular collaborator with Blattenberger, Keohane has the height and steady bearing of a young Harrison Ford, and his performance as Frank keeps you watching, even if the bulk of his character development comes from the hokey trauma of war flashbacks.
The marshals are almost immediately caught in the gunfire of an ambush, and take on their attackers with little effort. All this does, apart from setting up our agents as nigh-on undefeatable, is expose the gaps in Laws of Man’s production values. Blattenberger puts our leads in frequent situations requiring gunpowder and collateral damage, but he doesn’t have enough budget for these pyrotechnics, and so he hopes choppy action editing will distract from the lack of squibs.
A good chunk must have gone on the surprisingly stacked supporting cast. Graham Greene gets nothing to do as the local sheriff, but Harvey Keitel is good value as a travelling preacher who befriends Frank as he struggles with his war memories and the temptations of vice. Keith Carradine arrives later on as an FBI honcho; he tries to elevate the material he’s given, but the twists and turns of Laws of Man’s final act make that a difficult task.
The marshals are in Nevada to execute an arrest warrant, but they get roped into the local infighting spurred on by Mulroney’s Bonney and his kin. Bonney’s attempts at a landgrab are hiding more devious goings-on, but to say any more would be to spoil some surprises. Laws of Man initially tries to apply a veneer of respectability to its slender frame, but by the end Blattenberger goes for broke with leaps into conspiratorial camp. The third act invites headslapping, but it should have leaned into this heightened register from the start.
As a straight drama, it’s a flop, but there are moments of tongue-in-cheek humour throughout. Keitel and Mulroney understand this is the kind of film Laws of Man should be, and Keohane is a fine foil for the increasing nonsensicality building around him, but Blattenberger hasn’t found the gumption to make this the mickey-take it ought to have been. As it is, Laws of Man is ideal for a watch with a couple of beers and lowered expectations. It’s fun, and often unintentionally so.
Laws of Man: Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
Two U.S. marshals arrive in rural Nevada on a murder investigation but are drawn into a conspiracy far bigger than they could ever imagine.
Pros:
- In the lead role, Keohane has potential as a leading man.
- The supporting cast is overqualified but adds a lot to thin roles.
- The final act dovetails into conspiracy territory, with entertaining results, unintentional or otherwise.
Cons:
- As co-lead, Rathbone delivers a terrible performance.
- The low budget is visible in every production decision. The film is rarely convincing as a drama or thriller.
Laws of Man will be released in select US theaters, on digital and on demand on January 10, 2025.
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