The Drop

Name: The Drop
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: September 12, 2014
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 69
Cast: James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace, Tom Hardy

2014

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Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 241 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 241 Ratings

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The Drop

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: September 12, 2014 | R

Starring: James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace, Tom Hardy

Summary: In the underworld of Brooklyn bars, "money drops" are used to funnel cash to local gangsters. When a robbery at the bar of his employer and cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) goes awry, bartender Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) finds himself entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foesIn the underworld of Brooklyn bars, "money drops" are used to funnel cash to local gangsters. When a robbery at the bar of his employer and cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) goes awry, bartender Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) finds himself entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foes all work together to make a living—no matter the cost. [Fox Searchlight]… Expand

Director: Michael R. Roskam

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 106 min

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Critic Reviews

Andrew O'Hehir

Sep 11, 2014

I found this dark odyssey through an amoral dream Brooklyn curiously invigorating; it’s a masterful construction that held me rapt from first shot to last, that builds intense electrical energy and then releases it. Read full review

McClatchy-Tribune News Service Roger Moore

Sep 10, 2014

The Drop is a simmering thriller from the writer who gave us “Mystic River” and “Gone, Baby Gone,” a tale heavy with the weight of violence we know is coming. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Sep 12, 2014

The Drop's unpredictability is organic rather than sensationalistic. The movie doesn't pull surprises out of thin air for the sole purpose of shocking an audience - it lets them develop naturally. Read full review

Justin Chang

Sep 7, 2014

The Drop is at once upfront and highly effective in its manipulations, tugging at our heartstrings even as it flicks away at our nerves. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Sep 11, 2014

The Drop could have been an ordinary crime drama, but it's elevated by extraordinary performances. Read full review

Jesse Cataldo

Sep 9, 2014

With its optimistic ending, the film muddies its previous statements regarding the danger of unthinkingly hanging on to totems of the past. Read full review

Marc Savlov

Sep 10, 2014

James Gandolfini’s wintery silences and bitter outbursts are enough on their own to merit seeing this otherwise frustratingly vague slice of low-end Crooklyn crime life, but just barely. Read full review

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User Reviews

shpostal

Sep 23, 2014

When you have Tom Hardy on the bill, it's a fail safe as far as this reviewer is concerned, and we will truly miss James Gandolfini, who was great in his last role as a down and out former bar owner with illusions of gangster grandeur, not to mention some other problems.
Dennis LeHane,When you have Tom Hardy on the bill, it's a fail safe as far as this reviewer is concerned, and we will truly miss James Gandolfini, who was great in his last role as a down and out former bar owner with illusions of gangster grandeur, not to mention some other problems.
Dennis LeHane, popular author, did the original short story ("Animal Rescue"), and like "Mystic River" and "Shutter Island", gives us a gripping sober tale of modern gangsterism courtesy of Chechen mobsters who own several bars in Brooklyn and randomly use one for "drops", tribute and extortion money left at the designated bar for later pickup. Tom Hardy, who plays the unassuming bartender Bob is much smarter and deeper than his cohorts give him credit for, and turns in an Oscar level performance, delivering an accurate Brooklyn accent even though he's British and carefully assesses the situation unfold after rescuing a pit bull puppy from certain death. (The little pup is as adorable and integral as the human actors).
This is not a "Wiseguys" remake. It's gritty, believable right down to the last second of film, and you leave with no doubt that Tom Hardy is one of the world's finest actors, hands down, equal to his brilliant performance as Forrest Bondurant in "The Lawless" a few years ago. "The Drop" is the first "10" of the year for me, and will be a classic. Here's hoping it puts Hardy over the top once and for all.… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

RockMetalDude

Oct 10, 2014

Now THIS is a great movie with a complex storyline, amazing acting (Especially Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, and that Belgian guy from Loft), deep and raw emotions, touching moments, and an overall great build up followed by an unexpected twist. This may seem like your typical "Brooklyn basedNow THIS is a great movie with a complex storyline, amazing acting (Especially Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, and that Belgian guy from Loft), deep and raw emotions, touching moments, and an overall great build up followed by an unexpected twist. This may seem like your typical "Brooklyn based gangster/underground economy" movie, but in the end, it's much more, and it shows.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

MovieGuys

Sep 21, 2014

Although it's a bit scattered at the beginning, The Drop turns into a kind of melancholy, emotionally visceral about the isolation of a man in "the life". Gandolfini adds some levity to the whole thing, and Tom Hardy delivers a solid performance. Overall, it is worth a watch.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Devilmath

Sep 27, 2015

It’s widely known that The Drop marks James Gandolfini’s final appearance in a film. The late Sopranos star passed away more than one year ago, leaving a huge void in the acting universe. His talent is yet again celebrated in this dark tale of mobsters, omertà, violence and last chances ofIt’s widely known that The Drop marks James Gandolfini’s final appearance in a film. The late Sopranos star passed away more than one year ago, leaving a huge void in the acting universe. His talent is yet again celebrated in this dark tale of mobsters, omertà, violence and last chances of redemption. The Drop is adapted from a short story by novelist Dennis Lehane, who also wrote the screenplay; similarities with Lehane’s previous novels (“Mystic River”, “Gone Baby Gone”, “Shutter Island”) are easy to spot, and shouldn’t come as a surprise. With Michael Roskam signed as director after his Oscar nominated debut Bullhead, and Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace and Matthias Schoenaerts completing the cast, The Drop is a very promising concentrate of talent.

Lehane’s original story, “Animal Rescue”, takes place in Boston, but the producers decided to move The Drop to a less hackneyed location. They eventually settled on Brooklyn, instructing cinematographer Nicolas Karakatsanis to create a “Martin Scorsese meets Frank Capra feeling”. The result is a small-town, traditional, albeit often shoddy-looking environment; the perfect place for Bob (Hardy) and Marv’s (Gandolfini) bar. Bob is the silent bartender and his cousin Marv is the old-style administrator; they run the business for the Chechen mob, who often uses the bar as a “drop”, a hideout and collection point for bookies’ money. When two masked thugs break in after closing time, and rob the cousins at gunpoint, Marv speaks everyone’s mind by asking “do you know whose money you are taking?”. The events unfold in what seems to be a linear, almost predictable pattern, until Bob finds an abandoned puppy outside of Nadia’s (Rapace) house, and the two of them decide to adopt it. This is when things take an unanticipable turn for the worst.

Since opening at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, The Drop has premiered around the world, eventually landing at the 2014 London Film Festival; it’s one of the most relevant titles listed in this edition, and one of the most anticipated features of the year. A lot of the attention is probably due to the presence of Gandolfini, who performs admirably as Marv: the old-timer who regrets having sold the bar off to foreign mobsters, a pathetic wretch whose glory has faded out. Tom Hardy, on the other hand, is even more compelling as Bob, the shifty loner. He seems completely harmlessat first sight, but deep down he’s very dangerous, and Hardy manages to convey his personality while keeping an emotionless façade at the same time. Gandolfini and Hardy support each other in an almost effortless act, and give a bold, distinguished tone to the film. Whereas the plot is sometimes flimsy, possibly due to the limits of adapting a short story, The Drop stands succesfully as a deep, engaging and entertaining piece of cinema.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

yosemite

Sep 26, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gotta give it a 7. A nice cast led by Tom Hardy tells a story of the owner of a neighborhood bar ( Gandolfini) having it taken away from him by the Russian mob. Bitter, he plots to strike back. Hardy in a strong bit of acting plays Bob the bartender. Seemingly slow on the uptake, nothing could be further from the truth. He is equally at home adopting an abandoned dog as he is gift wrapping a severed arm. The best line in the film is the police detective whispering.." they never see you coming,do they Bob" ?. Its dark, its moody and its not a feel good film. It has very good acting and tells a different but interesting story.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

ydnar4

Jan 1, 2015

The Drop was a movie that I was eager to see because I liked the idea of Tom Hardy working with James Gandolfini and it is also going to be Gandolfini's last appearance in a movie as he died over a year ago now. Overall I found the film kind of dry, it was fairly boring, but Tom Hardy'sThe Drop was a movie that I was eager to see because I liked the idea of Tom Hardy working with James Gandolfini and it is also going to be Gandolfini's last appearance in a movie as he died over a year ago now. Overall I found the film kind of dry, it was fairly boring, but Tom Hardy's performance is what saves this movie. Tom Hardy is one of the best actors in film today and he displayed that with this film. James Gandolfini receives a respectable end to a great career onscreen.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PANCHO_SANSA

Aug 26, 2019

Tom Hardy is such an overrated actor and his one dimensional style is in full display here. The way he acts doesn't resemble any type of real person. This movie has the silliest gangster dialogue I've heard. Skip this one.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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