“The Drop,” a gritty crime drama with just enough chill to be a perfect early fall film, has a lot to recommend it. For one, it’s the latest project from Dennis Lehane, the award-winning writer behind “Mystic River” and “Gone Baby Gone.” For another, it’s the last movie that James Gandolfini ever made, and our last chance to watch him in a role for the first time.
And of course, there’s the part where Tom Hardy will be sharing his screen time with a seriously cute co-star with floppy ears and a waggly tail.
But what do the critics have to say about “The Drop”? Below, we take a look at the reviews.
Tom Hardy is in top form.
“There is a whole lot of Hardy going on, and “The Drop” is at its best when we can observe how the actor slowly peels away the layers from his character in a finely calibrated performance that builds to a satisfying full reveal in the final act.” — Susan Wloszczyna, RogerEbert.com
It’s less plot, more chemistry.
“Mr. Roskam’s direction is gratifyingly loose. He lets the story, which is really the least interesting part of the movie, more or less take care of itself, allowing us to savor pungent morsels of dialogue and bits of low-key actorly showboating. The counterpoint between Mr. Hardy, compact and intense, and Mr. Gandolfini, expansive and subtle, is engaging (though also sad, of course), and so is the cop-show banter whenever Mr. Ortiz arrives on screen.
Great performances elevate the film.
“Ultimately, this is Tom Hardy‘s show, and any opportunity to see this actor exercise his skills merits attention. He, along with the rest of this top-notch ensemble, give “The Drop” far more than they get back.” — Alonso Duralde, The Wrap
The movie’s biggest star might be its Brooklyn setting.
“Well-shot with a neo-noir feel in a variety of Brooklyn neighborhoods, this melancholy film’s ambience of neighborhood bars and unfashionable housing is always visually convincing. Which points out “The Drop’s” downside, which is that the plotting and even the acting aren’t always as plausible as the atmosphere.” — Kenneth Turan, The Los Angeles Times
“The Drop” is in theaters today, September 12.
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