The Drop Review

Every now and then a film comes along that reminds me how even the most simplistic of stories can be transformed into something highly engaging. Here enters 2014's The Drop which does indeed contain a very simple story with maybe just one or two moments of genuine shock. The selling point for the film isn't so much in its central plot, but instead in its standout leading performances. Despite what some might think going into this having just vaguely catch the marketing in passing, there aren't any real explosive action scenes or tension racking battles. I'm sure this will immediately turn away certain moviegoers, but fortunately for me, they managed to keep me completely engulfed in the ride with such a quiet and somber tone much like what Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive effectively did.

Tom Hardy stars in the movie as Bob who, just like Goslin's character in Drive ironically, is a very innocently presented, soft spoken, and child-like character on the surface. However, you can tell by the look in his eyes and Hardy's understated performance during certain scenes, that something dark is slowly brewing like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any given minute. With very little dialogue in the film, Tom Hardy manages to steal the scene captivating the viewer with a sense of disarming power that inspires curiosity. Naomi Rapace also brings in a solid performance as a sort of love interest to Bob as well as the essential foundation that brings forth many key elements regarding the central character to the forefront.

James Gandolfini (sadly in one of his final roles) does a magnificent job at bringing in the "veteran of the game" type of personality to this story. He plays Marv (Bob's cousin) who owns a bar where mobsters discretely utilizes the establishment as a behind the scenes bank of sorts. Marv was the guy who called the shots at the bar regarding the business engagements taking place within the shadowy dealings. This was one of those casting situations where the actor more than perfectly embodied the type of character being presented. And as one would expect by now given his track record, Gandolfini absolutely crushed it in any ever scene that he's in adding a notable heft to the overall ensemble.

This perfect marriage of casting decision and character role is something that is seen not only with Gandolfini but with with the rest of the main cast. It's getting to see these performers bring their "A-game" to the screen where my strong admiration for The Drop stems from more so than anything else. Director Michaël R. Roskam takes the time to really focus the spotlight over his actors confidently knowing that their performances will offer up all the intensity needed to keep things exciting and entertaining for the viewer. Again, keeping in mind that this isn't necessarily an action/thriller where something spectacular is constantly happening onscreen, the film relies more on character interactions and the suspense of a scenario to immerse the audience.

That being said, there are a couple of shocking moments as I mentioned earlier in the review that I felt were highly effective due to the amazing build up behind them. One scene in particular that takes place at the bar left me in a speechless state of surprise due to the brutality and overall character twist involved. It's a great scene and it's certainly worth noting now, but sadly this also brings me to my biggest nitpick with the film. Unfortunately, despite being beautifully and well acted, there's simply not enough happening here that'll inspire a re-watchability element or a future conversation to be had. Thinking forward years from now, I can only imagine speaking about this movie to someone if the topic of discussion was specifically "Tom Hardy movies that were pretty good" and nothing more. Sadly, this is one of those titles that can easily get swept under the rug of obscurity down the line.

The Drop is one of those decent one-time watches that everyone seems to forget pretty quickly once other movies of greater cinematic scope and franchise significance releases. If you're a Gandolfini fan, I suppose this can be a very crucial film to check out as he does deliver a great performance in his more traditional demeanor, but that's as far as I can go in pitching this as a "must watch". It's a simple but very unfortunate fact that despite being a pretty good film overall with amazing performances, it also so happens to exist in a crowded year filled to the brim with bigger, successful, and eagerly awaited titles. To that I say check this one out if you have the time and are huge fans of the central cast, but keep your expectations for what type of movie you're getting into. Think less Ben Affleck's The Town or Al Pacino's Heat and more Drive with even less action. 

Rating: 8/10