Rent The Drop (2014)

A little masterpiece of a thriller, thanks to outstanding acting - The Drop review by Philip in Paradiso

On the face of it, the storyline of this American thriller is fairly simple: Bob (Tom Hardy) is a bartender in the bar owned by his cousin, Marv (James Gandolfini). They get mixed up with organised crime. And Bob gets drawn towards a troubled girl, Nadia (Noomi Rapace). The action takes place in Brooklyn, New York.

What makes this film so good and, in my view, a little masterpiece of the genre? The atmosphere is gripping and the environment the characters move about seems highly realistic; the suspense builds up gradually, in little unassuming touches, with fear and tension ever-present under the surface. The story also goes in directions you did not quite expect: in many ways, it is not a conventional thriller. But, mostly, in my opinion, it is the outstanding acting that is the movie’s chief asset: J Gandolfini, a big bear of a tough man, and N Rapace, a vulnerable yet strong character, are memorable.

As for Tom Hardy, he is remarkably good, in part because he is not quite what he seems to be, and I cannot say more so as not to spoil the film. He is quiet and low-key, almost dull, and yet he is the most important character, which makes the film unusual and intriguing. Who is he, really? What does he stand for, if anything?

As thrillers go, this is one of the best I have seen in the past 2 decades and I strongly recommend it.

Watchable without being memorable. - The Drop review by TE

Decent entry in the violent organised crime film genre. Its most original aspect is the way it builds up the tension as to precisely when the Tom Hardy character will explode into action.

Rocco the dog is an original touch too.

Hardy is ok in his role but his Brooklyn accent is not convincing enough.

Sad to see James Gandolfini looking genuinely ill, but still turning in a good performance. This was his last film.

A surprising little gem! - The Drop review by MH

I agree, Tom Hardy (yum) delivers a brilliant acting turn in this absorbing film, as does James Gandolfini. Noomi Rapace is a disappointment, not much acting going on there, but it doesn't really matter as she is relatively unimportant.

I heartily recommend it.

Excellent Crime Drama - The Drop review by GI

A neat crime thriller/drama that improves on second viewing. It can come across as too slow and meandering but looked at more analytically it actually is a well scripted drama with interesting characters and I suspect a more realistic look at the New York crime structures and scene than many other films of this type. Tom Hardy underplays his role skilfully making the eventual development of his character more impacting. He plays Bob, an unassuming bartender who comes across as a little slow with hints that he may not even be able to read and write, he works in a popular working mans bar run by his older cousin Marv (James Gandolfini in his last role). Marv was once the owner and a wannabe gangster but has since had to sell the bar to an organised crime gang. They use the bar as a 'drop' where illicit cash is collected. When it gets robbed by two punks a chain of events begins that reveals some secrets. Hardy's Bob is the central character with much of the film focused on his interaction with Nadia (Noomi Rapace) who he meets when he finds an injured puppy in her trash. Their friendship blossoms and Bob becomes attached to the dog which culminates in events at the bar both past and present. The way the plot gradually comes together is well structured and a tension builds which is subtle and clever. Matthias Schoenaerts costars as Nadia's ex who will play a pivotal role in the story and John Ortiz as a cop investigating the robbery and other things! A far better film than perhaps it appears and certainly worth a revisit if you weren't convinced the first time.