The Drop, film review: Urban thriller is right on the money
This is a film full of character and atmosphere and which pays homage to all of Roskam’s favourite film-makers
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The brilliant young Flemish director Michaël Roskam was identified as a talent to watch by film-maker Michael Mann after his debut feature, Bullhead, was chosen as Belgium’s Oscar candidate.
His first English language film underlines his promise. This is an urban thriller in the style of Mann, Martin Scorsese or Sidney Lumet in his Serpico days. It is brilliantly, if self-consciously, shot by Roskam’s fellow Belgian, Nicolas Karakatsanis. The performances are as rich and moody as the cinematography. James Gandolfini, in his final screen appearance, is cast true to type as Marv, a Brooklyn bar manager/wiseguy who has had to give up ownership of his bar to Chechen gangsters. They use the place as a “drop” off location for laundering money.
Marv is a family man but one capable of ruthlessness and violence when the need arises. The main character is Marv’s cousin, Bob (Tom Hardy), the bartender. Hardy plays him as if he is a latter-day counterpart to Marlon Brando’s Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront.
He is a lonely soul with a sentimental streak, which comes out when he rescues a pitbull puppy from a garbage can. This throws him into the orbit of the beautiful but tormented Nadia (Noomi Rapace) and of her psychopathic former boyfriend, Eric Deeds (Bullhead star Matthias Schoenaerts.)
This is a film full of character and atmosphere and which pays homage to all of Roskam’s favourite film-makers. Denis Lehane’s screenplay, based on one of his own stories, is just a little too contrived and mechanical. It’s as if the plot is almost an afterthought that has been put in place to give the actors a platform on which to perform.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments