“THE DROP” (2014) MOVIE REVIEW
This film should have been nicely called “A LONELY MAN and his PIT BULL”.
It would be an apt tribute, but one might be swayed to think that it’s a Disney production, good grief.
“THE DROP” has, within its finer wrapping, an ingenious plot, exacting powerful performances from actors TOM HARDY and the late JAMES GANDOLFINI who died of a cardiac arrest months after shooting wrapped.
“THE DROP” would be his farewell piece.
To this Reviewer, he rates this film as a smart “thinking” crime story.
The script ambles with a steady burn at first, a slow but surely shimmer before you are drawn rapturously into the long haul.
Quick Synopsis:
THE DROP is a new crime drama from Michaël R. Roskam, the Academy Award nominated director of Bullhead.
Based on an awesome screenplay from Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone), “THE DROP” follows lonely bartender Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) through a covert scheme of funneling cash to local gangsters – “money drops” in the underworld of Brooklyn bars.
“THE DROP’s ensemble cast includes Noomi Rapace, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ann Dowd and John Ortiz.
From start to end of this crime thriller, you are made to feel that circumstances are not what they appear to be.
The plot ambles mysteriously in a dogged style that is both cold and chilling.
“THE DROP” introduces us to Bob (Tom Hardy), an unambitious slow-witted bartender who is content to toil for his cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) in a bar named Cousin Marv’s.
It is a small drinking hole, but this is what you only see from the facade.
Cousin Marv’s is also as a notorious “drop bar” where dirty money is “dropped” at the counter and specified people will pick up the “haul” later.
This is an urban thriller following the style of Sidney Lumet and other crime busters of his time.
The performances are soul-searching to match the overall doom-and-gloom mood of the cinematography.
“THE DROP” can be said to be layered with a dark tinge of poetic indulgence.
In his final screen appearance, James Gandolfini plays Marv, a Brooklyn bar manager who has to give up ownership of his bar to Chechen gangsters.
The crooks use the work venue as a “drop” off location for laundering money.
Marv may appear cool, calm and collected, but is one helluva guy capable of violence when he is in a rage. His sidekick is Bob (Tom Hardy), the bartender with the slow slur.
One fateful night a pair of shotgun-wielding masked robbers raided the bar and scooted off with US$5,000.
Even though the amount of money is little compared to the usual drop-bar night, the Chechen mob who actually owned the bar is pissed.
As the story progresses, Bob rescues an injured pit bull pup in a garbage can which belongs to a woman named Nadia (Noomi Rapace).
Both of them become firm friends, and Bob soon discovers that that the pit-bull pup is actually dumped by Nadia’s psychotic ex-boyfriend Eric Deeds (Matthias Schoenaerts).
A brilliant young Flemish director Roskam was identified as a talent to watch by Michael Mamn after his debut feature, Bullhead, was chosen as Belgium’s Oscar candidate.
“THE DROP” is his first English language film.
His treatment is liken to boarding a cool, deadpan roller-coaster ride to hell.
Go watch it!
RATING: 3.5 out of 5
Local Distributor: 20th Century Fox Malaysia
“THIS MEANS WAR” PRESS PREVIEW
In addressing this film, let’s take note that there are two definitive schools of thought.
What’s sauce for the goose ain’t going to be sauce for the gander.
It’s a case of “never the twain shall meet”.
In the West, “THIS MEANS WAR” received more than a critical mauling.
Irate reviewers are only too happy to laud it with a critical backlash.
It’s a “perfectly dreadful” flick, they rated.
Is it really?
The Asian audiences share a different mindset.
You can hear squeals and guffaws of infectious laughter throughout the preview, indicating that the press members must have enjoyed the movie.
Shouldn’t they be?
“THIS MEANS WAR” might cram in a lot:
All at once its’ a romantic comedy, sex farce, buddy-and-action flick, spy spoof all rolled into one.
Two chums are platonic sworn brothers.
They are highly-skilled CIA agents who will unhesitatingly go out on a limb to hold the fort for each other.
Yes, everything for the sake of the divine brotherhood.
That is, until they discover they are both in love with the same woman.
Now this is unforgivable.
You cannot control the green-eyed monster of jealousy when it rears its ugly head.
Now they are turning their backs on each other to bag the woman they both love.
All’s fair in love and war, and the best man wins.
So they head for war, a different kind.
Here’s where the fun to start.
Lead actress REESE WITHERSPOON is utterly charming.
Her leading men CHRIS PINE and TOM HARDY are sexy and swell.
Good acting, a fun-fun script, though not without flaws.
An entertaining popcorn bromance with a feel-good timing helmed by director McG.
I wouldn’t mind spending two hours of escapism and leave the cinema feeling good.
Go watch it, for all it is worth.
But please, first decide if you’d wear an Asian or Western mind.
