Slow but intense

vistheindian

score 7/10

Quickie Review:

Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy), runs a drop bar where dirty mob money is dropped and laundered. After a robbery at his bar, Bob gets tangled in between criminal investigations, the Chechen mob, and a murderer. He must now deal with these multiple threats at all cost for his friends and himself. The Drop, has a slow moving plot in which you get to explore the rich characters portrayed by the excellent cast. This slow pace may be too much for some viewers, but the movie still holds your attention with good dialog and character interaction. In the end the wait pays off as everything culminates to the final intense climax.

Full Review:

Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini… Are there any more reasons you need to watch this movie? They are two incredible actors, and since this is tragically the last movie of Gandolfini, I had to see it. Overall, I enjoyed the movie for its great acting and satisfying story.

The strength of this movie is without a doubt Tom Hardy. He plays a character that is quiet, non-threatening, and down to earth. He is very careful about how he interacts with others, be it friends, family, or even the mob. Bob always makes sure he doesn't offend anyone and keeps to himself, like he says "I just tend the bar." However, deep down you can see there is an anger and intensity that he is trying to hold back. Throughout the movie there many instances where he is being pushed to his limits and you can see that intensity seeping out. Soon enough it becomes clear that you don't want to be on the receiving end. So I really like how Hardy balanced the two different sides of his character. James Gandolfini was yet another great addition to the cast, playing the polar opposite to Hardy's character. Gandolfini is more outspoken and has a more intimidating presence in his scenes. In the quieter moments his great subtlety brings out the history between characters, adding more depth to their interactions.

While the movie is great there is one problem with it that did bother me and may affect others the same way. The story is a very slow burn, it's not till the third act where you start seeing where it is all leading to. Luckily the first two thirds of the movie was put to good use to develop the characters. Nevertheless, I would've liked to have seen The Drop get to the main plot quicker. Don't let this negative detract you from watching the film, because the slow build-up is worth it in the end (can't say more without spoiling it).

The Drop is a strong character driven movie. It could've gotten less distracted in the first two acts but the character development was captivating enough to hold your attention. I'd recommend giving it shot in the cinema.

Check out more on my movie review blog The Stub Collector: http://thestubcollector.wordpress.com/

vistheindian 2 November 2014

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3116361/