Review of The Drop (2014) by Dawdlingpoet — 25 Nov 2021

This is a crime drama with mystery elements and it covers themes including organised crime and robberies, blackmail and the mob. I notice Ciao has categorised it as a 'thriller/mystery' but I'd disagree and I'll explain why later. As a dog lover, I found the film quite engrossing as the main character is shown discovering and handing in a presumably abandoned dog, a relatively young puppy which is identified as a pit bull but barely looks aggressive and did steal my heart somewhat!. I thought it did well at portraying a quite dark and shifty atmosphere from early on as well. The musical score, including background music/sounds, did well at makign me, as a viewer, feel uncomfortable and like anything could happen at any moment, so it did well on that front. I should perhaps also note that it is quite dark, in terms of lighting but I found myself able to follow most of what went on and not too disorientated. I say that as I still clearly remember having issues with following films that were quite darkly lit/set when I was younger - particularly if I was watching on a bright and sunny day, when reflections on the TV screen would cause an issue. This is the sort of film that could be frustrating due to the lighting but it seemed not to be too much of an issue overall. I suppose some of the thematic material may not be entirely unique but then thats pretty much to be expected I suppose. It has a gritty, urban feel but perhaps you may say that doesn't say a lot?.

Cast wise, Tom Hardy plays the main character, Bob. He seems quite a macho guy at times but also quite thoughtful and hesitant at other times - there is a reluctance to his character which makes him seem perhaps more human, more realistic. Noomi Rapace plays Nadia, who helps Bob. She seems quite witty and clever. The late James Gandolfini also appears as Cousin Marv, with this having been Gandolfini's final film appearance before he passed away. He, of course, is well known for playing another gangster, in the US TV drama series 'The Sopranos', so its not a particularly big stretch for him to play such a character. Other cast members include Matthias Schoenaerts as Eric Deeds, John Ortiz as Detective Torres and Elizabeth as Rodriguez as Detective Romsey.

Content wise, the film contains very strong language (as you should expect), including numerous 'f' words in many sentences and the like, plus moderate violence. The violence is bloody at times and it includes characters discussing violent crimes that have taken place as well as visual depictions of violent acts, including armed robbery. There are some drug references and overall the plot is quite dark and thus could be frightening to younger viewers, hence the 15 rating its been given in the UK. Its a relatively easy watch for the most part, with it not seeming very gratuitous to me.

The plot pace is quite slow but, on the other hand, I felt that the tension was well built up, as I say via the incidental music and the like. It is a decent example of a slow but unsettling urban underground crime based drama, although perhaps its not quite as dramatic as you may expect, say from a thriller or an action film. I'd say its more of a character based drama than a constant special effects laden, explosions and fighting centric film, put it that way.

Yes I'd recommend this film, as I felt it was well shot, with a decent cast and a good sense of atmosphere. Its not entirely original in terms of the main plot but then I suppose you could argue that if the plot doesn't interest you, then why would you watch it anyway?.