In the heart of a crime-ridden neighbourhood in Brooklyn, a lowly pub acts as a crossroads for gossip and hearsay for a shady community. The bar welcomes its usual customers each night, unscrupulous characters that discuss the news of the day. Behind the scenes, two bartenders work hard to keep the bar in working order, minding their own business and making it their priority to keep their customers happy. Cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) is an ex-loan shark that claims his crime-filled days are behind him, and who cares only about his bar. His younger cousin Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) appears to be as innocent as a child. A polite and well-spoken gentleman, Bob doesn’t appear to have been engaged in any sort of illegal activity — but in Michaël R. Roskam’s The Drop, nothing is as it appears to be.
The film is a suspenseful thriller with a series of plot-twists, but is more than just your ordinary crime drama. Unlike other classic crime thrillers like The Italian Job or The Departed, The Drop constantly asks the audience to determine who is good and who is bad. In the gritty New York neighbourhood setting, everyone is morally ambiguous to a certain degree, and not one is entirely trustworthy.
Using these deceptive devices, Roskam successfully creates a film that has you paying close attention from start to finish. The moment you feel as though you’ve figured it out, Roskam reveals a new thread of information, tactfully thickening the plot without over-complicating the story. The film is a slow burner, and has no difficulty in maintaining the audience’s attention.
In addition to its captivating narrative, the film deserves credit for stellar casting. British theatre-actor Tom Hardy excels in a role seemingly destined for Mark Wahlberg, impresively shedding his thick English accent and adapting an American persona. Both Noomi Rapace and James Gandolfini hold down the fort in their supporting roles. With both performance and storytelling working hand-in-hand, The Drop makes for an exceptionally well-rounded film.
Verdict: Worth your money, so make sure to see it at the festival, or in theatres.
