This film starts with a symbolic image: a large bridge reflected in a puddle. It tells us this film is set in New York, but in Brooklyn, across the East River, instead of the more familiar Manhattan. Brooklyn is not as glamorous as Manhattan. It's seedy and it's rough. So are most movies set there. 'Once Upon a Time in America' comes to mind, as does 'Little Odessa', and 'Brooklyn's Finest'. Incidentally, they all have either Brooklyn Bridge or Manhattan Bridge on their film poster.
So does 'The Drop'. It shows Brooklyn as an area ruled by Russian (in this case Chechen) mobsters, and filled with streetwise characters. 'The Drop' refers to the depositing of dirty money in a particular bar. The film tells the story of the events leading up to a hold-up of this bar on the night of the Super Bowl.
It's a slow, character-driven thriller, in which the acting, the cinematography and the general atmosphere are more important than the action or the suspense. The script is intelligently written, but not every element is necessary for the plot. After his spectacular debut 'Bullhead', this follow-up by Belgian director Michael Roskam confirms his reputation as a very talented film maker.
So does 'The Drop'. It shows Brooklyn as an area ruled by Russian (in this case Chechen) mobsters, and filled with streetwise characters. 'The Drop' refers to the depositing of dirty money in a particular bar. The film tells the story of the events leading up to a hold-up of this bar on the night of the Super Bowl.
It's a slow, character-driven thriller, in which the acting, the cinematography and the general atmosphere are more important than the action or the suspense. The script is intelligently written, but not every element is necessary for the plot. After his spectacular debut 'Bullhead', this follow-up by Belgian director Michael Roskam confirms his reputation as a very talented film maker.