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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Friday, March 29, 2024

'The Drop' delivers pleasant movie-goer experience

The-Drop-second-picture
James Gandolfini says goodbye with a terrific performance in "The Drop."

Crime dramas have the propensity to conjure images of Brooklyn's back alleys,  intimidating mobsters torturing innocents and -- of course -- an excess of gun violence. This fall’s newest crime drama, "The Drop," (released on Sept. 12) aligns itself with these archetypes, but sets itself apart with one unexpected character: a painfully adorable pit bull puppy. This odd combination works, setting the movie apart.

"The Drop" takes place in an insular Brooklyn neighborhood controlled by the Russian mob. Each night, money from all the gambling, pimping and other illegal activities run by these gangsters is “dropped” at a random location for pick up. The protagonist, Bob Saginowsky (Tom Hardy) tends one of these frequent pick-up spots: Cousin Marv’s bar. Bob’s cousin, who is always referred to as Cousin Marv (James Gandolfini), once controlled this neighborhood with a crew of his own. However, both his prominence and his bar were usurped by the “Chechnyans” -- as he names them -- years earlier. During a run-of-the-mill night at the bar, Bob and Cousin Marv are held up at gunpoint. Though they survive unscathed, albeit plenty poorer, local law enforcement begins to delve deep into the neighborhood’s nebulous past.

After the robbery, Bob finds a pit bull puppy, beaten and abandoned, in the trashcan of a woman named Nadia (Noomi Rapace). Nadia's initial coldness toward Bob melts upon seeing his instant connection with the puppy. Nadia encourages Bob to adopt the puppy, and he subsequently names it Rocco after St. Rocco, the patron saint of dogs, bachelors and the falsely accused. In addition to dealing with prying police officers, Chechen mobsters and Cousin Marv’s bitterness, Bob must also face the Herculean task of training a puppy. This chore becomes increasingly difficult when Eric Deeds (Matthias Schoenaerts), the neighborhood’s notorious psychopath and murderer who abused the dog in the first place, demands the puppy back while threatening Bob's nascent relationship with Nadia. As a slew of unanticipated problems begins to materialize, Bob, Cousin Marv and the rest of the neighborhood are compelled to respond in unexpected ways.

The strong connection shared by Bob and Rocco, and the symbolism the dog inevitably embodies, actually come as a clue to the story's beginnings. "The Drop" was adapted from Dennis Lehane’s short story, “Animal Rescue.” Darling little puppy dogs are not a typical archetype in many crime dramas, probably because they detract from the intimidating lawlessness on which the characters of these movies rely. Yet director Michaël R. Roskam does a superb job of portraying the relationship between Bob and Rocco. It’s sweet, but not saccharine. In truth, the plot is fairly predictable, and this film surely won’t keep you on the edge of your seat for its 106 minute run. Nevertheless, it manages to show a respectable degree of intensity. Some of this intensity is demonstrated through gory violence, like when Bob wraps up a severed arm like a salami and capicola sub. At other times, the intensity comes from the dialogue, specifically in those conversations between Bob and Cousin Marv, which deliver the grit expected of a crime drama.

Though some scenes have excellently crafted exchanges, at times the film relies too much on witty back-and-forth to drive the storyline. Several times obvious plot developments are explicitly stated by the characters. Besides insulting the audience’s intelligence, this method of storytelling detracts from the movie’s allure.

Though the dialogue varies between engaging and trite, the casting for this movie was nearly perfect. The handsome Tom Hardy captures Bob’s semblance of simplicity while maintaining a reserved, hidden nature. Noomi Rapace successfully portrays the complexities of her character, volleying between the compassionate and volatile behaviors of a damaged soul. James Gandolfini effortlessly fits the mold of Cousin Marv, and lends depth to a rather flat character. Gandolfini can surely be applauded for his performance in the last feature-length production of his career prior to his untimely death.

Though "The Drop" certainly does not rank among the highest quality works of the genre -- it simply cannot compete with "The Departed"(2006), "Goodfellas"(1990) or "The Sopranos," (1999-2007) -- it is an entertaining film that will satisfy anyone's desire to view the criminal underworld especially if you’re a dog person.