While it doesn't ever come close to the operatic heights of crime classics like "The Godfather" (not that it tries to), "The Drop" is a solid film, elevated by good performances, that lacks the indefinable spark needed to be "great".
Tom Hardy is onscreen for almost the entire film (it does cut away to other characters a few times, unlike his one man performance in "Locke" earlier this year), and carries it well, establishing a sympathetic character in an unsympathetic world. As the film goes on, it becomes less clear whether his simpleminded bartender, Bob, is truly as simpleminded as he appears, or if it's merely an affectation. My money is on a little bit of both. I think he's content to live an uncomplicated, plain life, but is also far more capable than he's given credit for when the equilibrium of that life is threatened. A character near the end states almost the same thing, and I agreed with the assessment. It's a good performance that anchors the film and gives the audience a character to invest in.
The film has garnered a good deal of attention for being James Gandolfini's last performance. He is also good in a supporting role as "Cousin" Marv, the former owner and still manager of the bar that bears his name. He is still resentful after being forced to give up ownership by the Chechen mob almost ten years earlier. The character is a nice contrast to Bob. He's willing to do bad things to get what he wants, while Bob is also willing to do bad things, but usually only to protect what he already has.
I haven't said much about the plot so far, and I won't. While it does progress at a nice pace, I got the sense that Bob's reactions to what was happening was always meant to be more important than the events themselves. Character study pieces like this can easily fall flat. The character has to be interesting enough to be worth following, and it also helps if there is a decent plot, even if it's not the main focus. Fortunately, this film meets both of these criteria.
I'm not going to go back to my opening paragraph and change my comment saying that the film falls short of being "great". It may well just miss out, but I'll admit to being more conflicted than when I started the review. Thinking and writing about certain aspects of the film have given me a greater appreciation for it. I'll leave everything as it is, but it's quite possible that the B+ I'm giving the film now could become an A- after a second viewing.
B+
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