The Outfit

Ever since the early 1970's, Hollywood has produced a plethora of mafia/gangster films that could last a lifetime. They, like other genres, range from mediocre to classics: "The Godfather" '72, "Goodfellas" '90, "Casino" '95, "American Gangster" '07 and more recently "House of Gucci" '21, to mention a handful. Because of the number of films made with a mafia theme, it's been increasingly difficult for Hollywood to create something fresher than its predecessors. However, I believe they have found one in the form of "The Outfit". 

1956. Leonard (Mark Rylance), a master English tailor who's ended up in Chicago, operates a corner tailor shop with his assistant Mable (Zoey Deutch) where he makes beautiful clothes for the only people around who can afford them: a family of vicious gangsters. One night, two killers Richie (Dylan O'Brien) and Francis (Johnny Flynn) knock on his door, after one has been shot, in need of a favor--and Leonard is thrust onto the board in a deadly game of deception and murder. So Leonard must outwit these mobsters in order to survive a fateful night. Can he do it and not provoke them to turn the screws and kill Leonard and even Mable?

Others to round out the cast are Simon Russell Beale as Roy Boyle, the mob boss and father to Richie, Nikki Amuka-Bird as Violet LaFontaine, the opposing mob boss and Alan Mehdizadeh as Monk. 

This was grippingly directed by Graham Moore (short). Either this filmmaker simply stumbled into being able to guide these actors into an intense thriller, or he is an incredible natural behind the camera. These actors pulled the audience into this web of deception with the talented direction by Moore. Surely, Rylance is a consummate actor, but it takes true talented direction to make this actor and others to shine. It was cleverly written by Moore ("The Imitation Game" '14) plus TV and shorts, and Jonathan McClain (TV). After Moore received his Academy Award for "The Imitation Game", one might have surmised that it was a fluke that he wrote that screenplay so well that it garnered an Oscar, but after viewing this film, he truly is a talented writer. How he, and McClain for that matter, were able to couple a tailor with mobsters in this taut, thrilling script was a stroke of genius, not to mention that it was a truly original story considering the genre. The number of  the different plot twists and turns is aplenty, again keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. And, again, both of these writers are virtual newcomers, especially McClain, makes this even more captivating. Really, other than a small place of an issue of continuity, this script was Academy Award caliber. If this is what these filmmakers can produce with the limited experience they hold, I'm waiting to see what they can produce in the future, and they both have a bright future.

Certainly if you like gangster/mafia type films, you'll revel with this. And even if you're not, the writing, directing and acting will keep your attention and definitely make it worth the price of admission. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                                Rated: R                                             105mins.