THE DROP

I saw THE DROP last night! For those that don't know, The Drop is a drama directed by Michaël R. Roskam centered around a simple Brooklyn bartender named Bob, played by Tom Hardy, and his boss/former neighborhood big shot Cousin Marv, played by James Gandolfini in his final film. Together, the pair run a small bar that doubles as a sort of temporary cache for mob money. When the bar is robbed, the questions that arise from the ensuing investigation begin to stir up important questions about not only the party responsible for the hit but also other long hidden elements of the neighborhood's shady history.

This movie really is something to see. The story is masterfully well written, thick with suspense and the acting is just out and out amazing. Everyone here comes to play and they come correct. I really have to give props to Tom Hardy, who's portrayal of Bob is such a far cry from Bane that it's shocking at times. Noomi Rapace, who plays opposite Hardy's character, also does an excellent job here and it was especially nice to see James Gandolfini one last time as the regret-stricken Marv. The cinematography and art direction are also very good here and really help not only to set the film's gritty tone, but they also really help to ground the characters in a space that feels incredibly real so as the stakes begin to raise in the story, the feeling of paranoia and tension raise right along with them and keep you on the edge of your seat.

I'm really struggling to find any real fault with this movie. The worst thing I can think of is that it's a little bit of a hassle keeping up with all the bearded white guys with beanie hats but seeing as the movie is set in Brooklyn in the winter, I should come to expect that.

Overall I'd say that The Drop is hands down one of my favorite films this year and if you're a fan of new-age crime flicks like The Town or The Departed then this is for sure worth seeing if not for the great story and real street feel of it, then definitely for the performances of Hardy and Gandolfini. The Drop gets a 4.5...out of 5.