The Drop (2014)
Cast includes: Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises), James Gandolfini (The Sopranos), Noomi Rapace (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), Matthias Schoenaerts (Black Book), John Ortiz (Silver Linings Playbook)
Writer: Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone)
Director: Michaël R. Roskam (Bullhead)
Genre: Suspense | Mystery | Crime | Drama (106 minutes)
“There are places no one ever thinks about”… like Cousin Marv’s Pub in Brooklyn (not the trendy part). The voice goes on to explain about “drop bars… a different bar is chosen each night, where all the city’s dirty money is left to be laundered. You never know until that night which bar it’s going to be. Me… I just tend bar… and wait.” Bob is so quiet many of the regulars call him “the sphinx.” But he’s kind, too… buying a round of drinks for the guys or letting Millie sit there for hours without paying. “If she can’t pay her tab tonight, she don’t come back!” says Marv. On his way home, Bob hears a whimper… sounds like a puppy… it’s coming from the garbage can. It’s bleeding. Bob uses a newspaper to pick the puppy up. That’s when he meets Nadia. She helps clean up the sad little pit bull puppy, but it’s not hers. Bob obviously knows nothing about dogs, except that this one needs a home… and Nadia doesn’t volunteer. She says she’ll keep the no-name puppy until Saturday morning, but no longer.
“It’s a dog!” says Marv. He can’t understand why Bob is so worried about a fucking dog. Pretty soon, they’re going to have real problems. Two masked men with guns hold up the bar… “Do you know whose money you’re tracking here?” says Marv. Anyway, when the police show up later to investigate, Detective Torres recognizes Bob from St Dom’s… “I’ve noticed you haven’t taken communion once.” “That’s my business,” says Bob. “You think so?” Torres responds under his breath. Anyway, Saturday morning after praying to St Rocco, Bob picks up the puppy and names him Rocco. As it turns out the $5,000 that was stolen belonged to the “fucking Chechens”… and they really want it back… they make sure Marv and Bob know they’re dead serious. Cousin Marv is sure he’s being followed… and then there’s that guy, Eric Deeds… “That’s a good looking dog,” he says. Thanks. “You got my dog.” When a bag full of blood stained money shows up… “You need to see this Marv,” Bob says. “No, I don’t need to see that.” “Yes, you do need to see this!”
The Drop keeps us on edge from the very beginning to the very end. The characters are creepy, the setting is creepy, and there’s a sense of menace over everything… even little Rocco. If you’re a Dennis Lehane fan, this story is true to form… part mystery, part suspense, with plenty of dark, dangerous characters. James Gandolfini is excellent as Marv, and British actor Tom Hardy is perfect as Brooklyn native Bob. There’s quite a bit going on in the beginning that won’t make much sense until later on, but it’s starting to look like socially-challenged Bob is the only grounded one in the whole story… if you don’t count the puppy. “Be patient,” Nadia tells him when he takes Rocco home. Even as he cleans poop off the rug, we know Bob’s not giving up on Rocco. But Cousin Marv… that’s a different matter. He’s been acting more strange than usual lately, and Bob hopes he isn’t getting into trouble that… “unlike last time”… can’t be fixed. Marv brushes off Bob’s concern… “We’re all fucking dead already. We’re just walking around.” Sadly, those words ring true… a fitting last movie for James Gandolfini.
4 popped kernels
When the mob chooses your bar as tonight’s drop bar, things better not go wrong!
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R (Language, Violence, Crime)
Audience: Young Adults
Gender Style: Bold
Distribution: Mainstream Wide Release
Mood: Neutral
Tempo: Cruises Comfortably
Visual Style: Nicely Varnished Realism
Nutshell: Crime, money laundering & a puppy
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Pure Entertainment
