The Drop

The Drop



Didn't realize anyone had already started a thread on this—honestly, I’ve been putting it off for a bit because I read somewhere that the pacing was kind of slow, and I wasn't really in the mood for something that felt like a drag. But yeah, the plot moves slow, but it's definitely not boring. Not even close. The atmosphere is just incredible; it totally sucked me into its little world. And Tom Hardy? Man, he’s just fantastic. He’s honestly becoming one of my favorite actors at this point. It was one of those rare movies where I actually felt bummed out when the credits rolled...
I won't say anything specific because I don't want to spoil it, but you guys seriously need to check this out!!!

Tom Hardy looks incredibly hot here, as per usual.
Honestly, the movie felt a bit unfinished to me.
SPOILER
Think about it—his character plays it so cool and composed the entire time, right? Then suddenly, at the end, he turns out to be this cold-blooded killer obsessed with slasher tropes. Just like that, boom... a complete 180.😕 That’s really what drives the whole plot forward. I mean, if he had just stayed that polite waiter, he probably would've robbed the diner, the girl would've died, and everyone would have been slaughtered.

Edit:

Oh, and yeah, because of scenes like those, I’m still giving his performance an A.😁

The plot itself isn't exactly breaking new ground, but the chemistry between the four leads is so seamless that it carries the whole thing... which is why I'd say it's worth a watch.

Betty Hayes10 said:Tom is looking incredibly sexy here, as per usual.
Personally, I found the film somewhat underdeveloped.
SPOILER
For instance, his character spends the entire runtime appearing perfectly composed and ordinary. Then, suddenly, he turns out to be this cold-blooded killer and slasher fanatic. It’s just... bam. A complete 180-degree turn.😕 This shift is what drives the plot toward its resolution. If he had remained that polite waiter, he probably would have just robbed the diner, and the girl and everyone else would have walked away unscathed.

Edit:

Of course, I have to give him an excellent rating specifically because of scenes like those.😁

I'm not so sure; to my eyes, it felt as though Tom Hardy was holding back, which made him seem less extreme than the script intended. Because of that, the twist didn't feel particularly shocking to me. All things considered, it's a solid film, carried largely by the exceptional acting.

SPOILER
I can't stop thinking about this one plot hole in the movie because I just can't make sense of it. When the mob delivers that van with the guy nailed to his hand, Bob—played by Tom Hardy—starts shaking, almost like he’s trying to physically shake off the shock. At that exact moment, nobody is even looking at him since the mobsters have already cleared out, yet there he is, trembling as if what he saw in that van was some massive trauma. 😕 Even though he's done plenty of terrible things himself.

I thought the movie was solid—nothing groundbreaking, but definitely worth a watch. The acting was top-tier, especially since it’s Gandolfini's final performance. 😢

Despite the powerhouse performances delivered by Gandolfini and Tom Hardy, The Drop remains merely a decent, if somewhat uninspired, piece of cinema. While the narrative is handled with a certain level of sophistication and intrigue—the slow pacing actually serves the story quite well—it is easy enough to overlook the rather questionable premise regarding the "drop bar," or the establishment functioning as a makeshift vault. Even the supporting cast, many of whom aren't given much room to breathe, deliver performances that aren't bad per se, though they certainly lack the weight established by Gandolfini and Tom Hardy.
The fundamental issue is that The Drop offers nothing groundbreaking. These gritty crime dramas centered on the fringes of society have become a cinematic staple, appearing far too frequently these days. The problem with this genre is its inability to capture the effortless cool of Mean Streets or the sheer emotional scale of Mystic River. All such films can really offer is aesthetic: a carefully crafted atmosphere built on moody, dark cinematography, though even that feels a bit tired due to overexposure. The Drop is a competent, solid film, but I find the entire stylistic approach to be somewhat exhausted. If there is any consolation, however, it is that The Drop isn't a bad movie, and Gandolfini's final performance is anything but lackluster.

more at:
http://film-na-dan.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-drop.html

The movie was definitely one of the better ones lately—though I feel like I missed a few details... how did the Chechen crew find out that Gandolfini was dirty? From what we saw, he was pretty efficient at scrubbing any potential evidence. And how did the guy who killed him know it was actually Gandolfini? It seems like such a long shot—just some random person in a random car on a random street, approaching from behind in the dark without being seen... I guess it's a bit of a leap.

There aren't many murders in this film, and when they happen, they usually have clear motives—so this whole situation with Gandolfini feels a little off to me...

They think they have a crystal ball. 😁

Solid movie, honestly. Tom Hardy was absolutely killing it, and man, that character he played was just so incredibly well-written and layered. I’d give it a solid 7/10.

A top-tier drama! Tom Hardy was absolutely brilliant, and Gandolfini was phenomenal—especially when you consider it was his final performance...

Let’s be clear: this is a heavy drama, so if you’re coming in expecting non-stop action, you might walk away with a different impression than I did.

SPOILER ALERT

Ethan Jones98 said:The movie is one of the better ones out lately, but a few things slipped past me... how did the Chechen crew find out Gandolfini was dirty? From what we saw, he was pretty efficient at scrubbing any possible traces. How did the guy who killed him know it was Gandolfini specifically approaching a random person in a random car on a dark street from behind where they couldn't see his face?

There are a few murders, but everything else happens for very specific reasons, which is why that whole situation with Gandolfini feels a bit off to me...

SPOILER

Alright, let's do some simple math here. If a local business has competition—and every business does, those being our two variables—the easiest move is to head over to the competitors, snatch one of them up, and squeeze them until they talk. If they talk, you find the money. If they don't, it means the cash is sitting with the other two guys "in the house." It's basically an elimination process; once you subtract those two variables, you're left with zero. So, the Chechen crew just worked their way through the list. They picked up the first guy and immediately stumbled upon the info regarding who hit the shop. They went after him, took their money, and took his hand—standard stuff for a robbery—and later, those fingerprints could easily be used to plant false evidence elsewhere. This gave them enough time to calculate whether one of the remaining two was actually "clean" enough to keep the business running. And yeah, Tom Hardy played his part perfectly—he was smart.

When these kinds of heists happen, there's always someone on the outside playing lookout to make sure the robber doesn't bolt with the loot. The Chechen crew knew someone would be waiting outside to collect the cash or grab whoever was responsible for hitting the shop. Based on the dialogue at the end, it's clear Tom Hardy spotted one of the Chechens watching him from the inside, but he didn't realize there was another one monitoring the scene from the street. Once Gandolfini realized this, he tipped off the boss, and the boss told him to take care of it and wrap things up.

9/10

Sean Bailey75 said:SPOILER

So, if you do the math—two plus two equals four—it’s pretty simple. If a local business has competition (which everyone does, providing those other two variables), then the easiest move is to visit the rivals, pick one of them, and... well, squeeze them until they talk. If they spill, you find the cash. If they don't, it means the money is with the other two who are still "in the house." I guess you could call it an elimination system—you subtract all two plus two, and the final result is zero. Basically, the Chechen crew just went down the line; they grabbed the first guy and immediately found out who robbed the shop. They went after him and took both his money and his hand—that’s a standard response for theft, and honestly, those fingerprints could even be used later to plant false evidence elsewhere. This gave them enough time to figure out if one of the remaining two was actually "honest" enough to keep working. And yeah, I suppose Tom Hardy was "honest"—or rather, smart.

Hmm, I thought Gandolfini was the one who cut off the hand? And left the money anonymously for himself—that way, neither Hardy nor the Chechen crew would have any lead pointing back to him.

If the Chechen crew had already located their money, why would they mess things up further—plus risk Gandolfini trying to snatch it or hide it again—instead of just taking it right then? And if the guy "spilled," why didn't they just take out Gandolfini immediately?

Ethan Jones98 said:Wait, I was under the impression that James Gandolfini actually had his hand severed? And then he just left the cash there anonymously? If that's the case, neither Tom Hardy nor the Chechens would have had any kind of lead on him.

If the Chechens have already secured their funds, why on earth would they go through the hassle of laundering it all over again? It seems like an unnecessary headache, especially if they’re constantly looking over their shoulders, worried that James Gandolfini might try to snatch it or stash it away himself. Why wouldn't they just grab the cash right then and there? And if the guy actually "sang" to the authorities, why didn't they just take James Gandolfini out immediately?

SPOILER ALERT

That hand didn't belong to some random guy from a van; it belonged to one of those actual robbers who stormed the bar and snatched the cash that the guy in the van had been printing. Since we’re dealing with the Chechens and the Russ, they sliced off the hand as a direct message to James Gandolfini and Tom Hardy: clean up your own mess and think twice before planning something this stupid ever again. It was their way of signaling to the one who wasn't directly involved—Tom Hardy—exactly where the idea to hit the place came from. In other words, by maiming the robber, they forced him to talk. He likely confessed everything and more, leaving them unsure whether both men were in on the scheme or if just one of them was pulling the strings.

You can’t hide things like that forever; sooner or later, everything comes to light. But look, they need a venue—they need someone running the show and bringing in the revenue, because at the end of the day, that's the whole point. That’s why they’ve allowed James Gandolfini to stay in the fold, essentially banking on the hope that he finally realized there's no sense in trying to play games with the Chechens. They just want him to get back to work, keep his head down, and keep the cash flowing. As for Tom Hardy, he actually used to be a real heavy hitter with some serious street cred (you see that arc by the end of the film), but after blowing through all his money, he's forced to work just to stay afloat. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. These types of power dynamics are actually quite masterfully constructed, though they definitely require a bit of analytical thinking and some patience to fully unpack.

Yeah, that makes sense... I'm probably glad I didn't go into the gangster genre—it seems like I would have totally misread most of the "messages" or maybe wouldn't have gotten them at all... 😵

Ethan Jones98 said:Yeah, you're not wrong... honestly, thank God I didn't try for a career in the mob, because I’d probably misinterpret half the "messages" sent my way or just completely miss the point entirely... 😵

haha, looks like if you were running with actual gangsters, you'd end up looking exactly like that little smiley face of yours

I really loved this one. Watching it was a total blast.
Dark atmosphere, moody, bitter, and slow-burning. It’s got some crime elements, but honestly, it's more of a drama.
You see the twist coming, but it still hits you when it finally lands.
And the acting? Incredible. Just top-tier performances all around. By the way, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Chechens too.
I'm giving it an 8.5/10.

Ethan Jones98 said:Yeah, that makes sense... thank goodness I didn't go into the gangster life, otherwise I probably would have misinterpreted most of the "messages" or just missed them entirely... 😵

SPOILER

You don't need to be a mobster to get it, though. When someone sees a hand sticking out of a bag—the very hand they sent off on a heist, along with the cash they were waiting to receive—it’s immediately obvious how "smart" that plan actually was. It's basic psychology, really; stuff you'd learn in a tenth-grade civics class, and honestly, anyone without a formal education can see how messed up it is.

And if we want to dive into some more advanced psychology, the movie portrays it beautifully. A gambler gambles because they love the loss; the hit of adrenaline and the neurochemicals the body releases after a loss are roughly as potent as a heroin shot according to medical charts. So, after seeing that hand, every gambler faces what's known as the "doubling dilemma"—it's all or nothing. They either push forward with their scheme and risk everything, or they walk away and stop gambling with their lives. A rational person would quit, but a gambler? Well, believe it or not, in 99% of cases, they double down. That’s why this film is so brilliant; James Gandolfini delivers an incredible performance, masterfully portraying a world that remains inaccessible to most people.

Because of that, Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini paired together perfectly. And for what it's worth, Noomi Rapace was fantastic; every single casting choice was spot on, especially with her handling such a heavy role so brilliantly. That scene in the bar where Tom Hardy speaks and reflects on the situation is just phenomenal. Matthias Schoenaerts, who plays Eric, does a flawless job shifting his expression the moment he realizes what Tom Hardy just said. All in all, it's a demanding drama with stellar performances. I truly believe Tom Hardy is going to evolve into a top-tier actor; he keeps landing better roles and executing them exceptionally well.

I honestly thought the movie was fantastic. It had that classic James Gandolfini quality where you just know it’s going to be good, and honestly, Tom Hardy just keeps getting better and better with every single role he takes on. Since I hadn't really looked into anything about the film beforehand, I just went in totally blind, leaned back, and ended up really vibing with the slow-burn pacing—it wasn't boring at all, just steady.

A really solid, gripping film. It’s a shame it'll ultimately be remembered as the final performance from James Gandolfini.

Great movie. I’m a huge fan of crime thrillers, so this one really hit the spot for me. That Hardy showed everyone exactly why they're such an incredible actor!