La entrega

If you didn't have Tom Hardy on your radar up to this movie, you surely will have him on it after watching this. There is another stellar performance from James Gandolfini, whom regrettably we lost too early, but this is Hardys movie through and through. With Noomi making an impact too as the female lead of the piece.

But while I am excited about the movie and others obviously are too, do not expect this to be a fast paced ride that will be exciting in that style. This is understated and subtle and slow burning. If you can dig that, you will experience a great story, with great characters with some neat surprises along the way. The deliveries are on the money (no pun intended)

I felt compelled to write this review because I was fortunate enough to see this movie at an advance screening, and because I do not think the movie will be around long.

The reason I think it will not be around long is because this movie is for adults. It is character driven with a well written storyline. It does not have anything that would appeal to most movie goers....no car chases, moronic humor, or gratuitous sex. The Drop starts slow, but you have to pay attention to what goes on in the movie, and what the characters both do and say. It picks up speed and intensity, and is well worth your time.

The storyline is a very interesting underworld crime caper, but it is very nuanced, with excellent acting by all the leads. I was only familiar with the late James Gandolfini, and he does not disappoint, and the other actors, although unknown to me were also outstanding.

(66%) An apt farewell to the great James Gandolfini in a role that fits the very talented actor like a well tailored glove, and anyone with at least some fondness and admiration should find a fair degree to enjoy here. Along-side the great man is the ever impressive Tom Hardy playing a character somewhat reminiscent to Rocky Balboa, with his good heart, chequered past, devotion to dogs, and even the relationship with Moomi Rapace has a similar feel to the one heavily featured in the Rocky movies. The way this focuses on characters that aren't really what one would call gangsters and yet they're not really all that straight and narrow either making for a somewhat unique angle, and that's considering the fact that the movie barely breaks any new ground. The plot is more intriguing than exciting, and the pacing does grind to a near halt at a few times, but I never found it dull, and a couple of scenes are surprisingly heartwarmingly sweet. All-in-all a good addition to crime cinema that won't be ranked among the best but is still a worthy watch for the cast alone.

"I just tend the bar," Bob Saginowski innocently states in this under- the-radar gem of a film. Tom Hardy plays Bob, a quiet, reserved bartender at his cousin Marv's bar. Cousin Marv is played by James Gandolfini in his final role. The Drop is getting a lot of attention because of Gandolfini, who gives another memorable performance, but The Drop is much more than an opportunity to see one our generation's greatest actors one last time, it's one of the best films of the year.

In The Drop, Marv owns a local neighborhood bar that also happens to be a "drop bar", which means the bar essentially collects money from illegal betting and god knows what else and then delivers it to the local Chechen gang. Gandolfini plays Marv as a Tony Soprano that never was. A guy that tried to get into the game, but couldn't really cut it when the big guys came into town. Those "big guys" are the Chechen mob that have taken over Marv's bar. It's his bar in name only and he's relegated to serving drinks and cleaning up spills. Gandolfini plays Marv as a bitter, beaten down man. It's vintage Gandolfini and a perfect way to end a career that was cut way too short.

As one actor takes his final bow, it's another actor who officially arrives. The Drop is clearly Tom Hardy's film. Granted, Hardy certainly hasn't come out of no where. He burst on the mainstream scene with Inception and should have become a household name after his performance as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. He didn't, and I'm not really sure why. He seemingly has everything you'd want in a leading man.

Hardy's performance in The Drop should finally change that. I know it's early, but it's Oscar worthy. Hardy plays Bob with such an authentic nature that it's downright astounding. He really inhabits this character. Bob seems to take everything in stride, nothing seems to bother him. When he is confronted by the Chechen mobsters, he keeps his head down and chooses every word with precision, knowing that his life depends on it. Bob is non-threatening and unassuming and almost comes off as simple-minded, but as the film progresses, it's clear something is brewing beneath the surface. Bob is an example of a guy who is a product of his environment. He's a good man that doesn't really have a choice in life. He either adapts to survive or dies.

Bob also has a big heart as is evidenced when he rescues a puppy that has been beaten and literally thrown in the trash. This is where he meets Nadia, played by Noomi Rapace (Prometheus). Nadia is also reserved and seems wounded in some way. It makes sense that The Drop is written by Dennis Lahane (writer of Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone and Shutter Island) who adapted the film from his short story "Animal Rescue," a title with more than one meaning. Not only does Bob rescue an injured dog, but both he and Nadia seem like animals that need rescuing in one way or another.

The Drop is the kind of film that Hollywood just doesn't make anymore. It really does feel like it was ripped right out of the 80's. It has a slow, deliberate pace that perfectly builds suspense. The Drop is a character driven film that constructs each scene with great dialogue and fantastic acting. The director allows his characters to inhabit the world they live in. It's the wardrobe and the set design that really help bring everything together and add to the authenticity of the film. Everything seems organic and not like it's part of a movie set.

The Drop is a film lovers film. It has everything you could possibly ask for: a top notch cast, great direction, dialogue, set design, cinematography, and an understated score. You name it, and The Drop has it. It's easily one of my favorite films of the year. We need more films like The Drop. Go see it.

There are a lot of films that fall into the same sort of "ilk" in the sense that when we watch a particular movie, it gives us the same feel as others we have seen before it. This can be a reason why someone really enjoys it or gives the pretentious "it wasn't very original" remark that makes you never watch a movie with that fool again. "The Drop" brings out similar feelings, primarily because it has the feel of many other works of the author (and writer of the script) Dennis Lehane who is famous for works such as "Mystic River", "Shutter Island", and "Gone Baby Gone". Right away you get a feel for those previous works as we are again introduced to a gritty, seedy, and corrupt underbelly of a big city environment that introduces us to a bunch of low lifes who are caught up in doing the wrong things just to "make something of themselves".

What makes "The Drop" different from some of these other films is that these are different characters compared to what we're used to. No one seems to be a big talker and we can tell that all of these characters are more than meets the eye and carry significant baggage from a checkered past. Most films that deal organized crime and other things ask us to witness the violence that just seems to "come with the territory" so to speak with it. This film asks us instead to imagine the potential for violence in a man and how brief releases of that violence can affect how these characters live their lives in the future. There are moments of violence and bloodshed, but they come in such short and intense instances that they hit you harder then violence might normally would in another film of this sort. You believe that any of these characters is capable of beating another ones head in and when something of that sort actually happens, it sticks with you and has a lasting effect that carries throughout the remainder of the film.

The story follows Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) and his Cousin Marv (the last film of the late James Gandolfini) who run what's known as a drop bar which simply mean that they serve as a place where mobsters leave large amounts of illegal money to pick up at a later date. Cousin Marv used to be a man of his own power in the organized crime world and briefly had his own crew before he was pushed aside by an incoming Chechen gang and now he just manages the bar with Bob. 10 years has passed sense this change but Marv is still as bitter as ever about his position in life. Gandolfini excels in roles like this for so many reasons. Of course we see a little Tony Soprano in Cousin Marv but he brings so much else to this role from his tone of voice, expression with his eyes, and physical presence that makes the performance that much more captivating. It's great to watch him be able to display that intimidation factor as the "tough guy" that Marv wants to be seen as, as well as the fear and weakness that really exists in his heart.....all being shown through his eyes. It's the kind of performance that has a low-key profoundness that makes you hope the academy rewards a posthumous Oscar nomination.

Hardy is no less brilliant here as the quiet and mysterious Bob. Bob is not a big talker and just lives quietly in his own little bubble tending bar and handling the drop. His life is changed when he finds a wounded puppy in the trash can outside of the damaged Nadiya's (Noomi Rapace) house. They both decide to take care of the dog together as a potential budding romance threatens to grow. Bob has almost an instant connection with the dog, a young pitbull, and you begin to notice similarities between the two as the film progresses. Bob makes a comment that a pitbull is a "dangerous dog" which is true, but almost seems impossible to think when you see them as puppies. Bob can be looked at the same way as the puppy in the sense of he seems harmless but there is the potential for danger and violence deep inside both of them. I've always found it amazing how well British actors can master American accents compared to the other way around. Hardy especially is a master of accents and the way he handles his blue collar, Brooklyn speak is amazing to watch as we follow the mysterious Bob throughout the film, always wondering what he is thinking and what he really is about.

The other stand out performance in the film comes from Matthias Shoenaerts as the loose cannon, Eric Deeds. Shoenaerts brings a level of intensity that is so palpable that you often become uneasy when he is on screen. He spends the majority of the film claiming that Bob's new dog is his and that he wants him back, as we all are questioning what he is really after. Shoenaerts is a rising star for sure and I can't wait to see him continue to show what he's capable of a bigger stage.

In the end, "The Drop" is most likely going to be one of those early fall gems that falls by the wayside after a few weeks in theaters and is unfortunately forgotten about due to poor marketing. However, it also could be one of those small festival films that develops a cult following after people realize how good it is for being a slightly slower paced thriller that delivers great performances and a good story. In a way, that almost fits perfectly into the makeup of these characters who live in this world. Great and powerful things in small and low-key packages