Tom Hardy’s strange accents in the ranking

One of the most fascinating aspects of Tom Hardy’s approach to accents is that he has absolutely no problem vacillating between perfect pronunciation and incomprehensible slurring, even while playing the same character. He plays Virginia bootlegger Forrest Bondurant in Lawless, and Hardy’s deliberate performance is notable because he doesn’t really have to say anything to exude an intimidating aura. Of course, he says quite a lot, and much of it shows his penchant for altering his characters’ ability to actually pronounce words correctly.

If you understand what on earth that line is supposed to mean before Hardy botches it, you’re a better person than I am. But just a few seconds earlier, he displays a much sharper, more defined accent as he denounces the robber who threatens his brother. Hardy also seemed to have a Jon Bernthal-like penchant for not looking at his interlocutor in this film, but we’re not here to talk about that.

Instead, let’s talk about how, at various points in Lawless, Hardy’s vocal styling is aided by a toothpick, which the actor clearly enjoys rolling over his teeth as he interacts with his various scene partners. Honestly, the best parts are the ones where Forrest isn’t doing much at all, like when a cardigan-clad Hardy sits on a porch gazing off into the distance, wistful yet suicidal, while his brother beats up some local cops. Much like James Stewart in Rear Window, Hardy does an excellent job of making nothing good, and his accent remains like so many Hardy voices – sometimes convincing, sometimes silly, but always engaging.