The Drop, a crime drama directed by Michaël R. Roskam to a script by Dennis Lehane, is both familiar and fresh. It stars Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace and James Gandolfini, all delivering strong performances.
What bothered me most about this film is that its protagonist, a bartender named Bob Saginowski, played by Tom Hardy, is not someone I was easily able to connect with. He seems a little slow -- as in not too smart, yet turns out to be very perceptive. He is both good at heart yet reserved and introverted. In short, Bob's character possesses conflicting characteristics, which Hardly handles beautifully, but causes the audience to ask whether this person deserves our sympathy. In this case patience pays off, although it’s a close call.
The Drop also suffers from some pacing issues with respect to the plot. It feels choppy at times where there is no call for it in terms of the story.
That being said, there is a rough edge to The Drop that places it in a different category than other films in the genre. The characters feel real, the environment - a Brooklyn neighborhood and a bar in that area, play a part in the film as if being a character all of its own. There is a good sense of film-noir in a current day settings.
Recommended if you like the genre.