The Drop tells a beautiful story of a man that lives a lonely but content life working as a bartender in a bar that is owned by the Chechen mafia.

The bar serves as a drop bar. Money is constantly flowing in and out of it. Bob, who is played wonderfully by Tom Hardy, looks the other way and keeps his head down, but his cousin Marv, who is played by the late James Gandolfini, wants to try and win back the bar that once belonged to him.

The pacing of this film is as good as it can get. It starts slow, allowing you to truly connect with Hardy’s character, but there is a thick layer of tension in the air that lasts throughout the entirety of the film.

The writing in this movie is also wonderful. The chemistry between Hardy and Noomi Rapace is on point. Their relationship is so realistic and natural, it just made me smile watching them interact with one another. The directing, cinematography, and the music were all so good. It truly draws you into the movie and just makes you feel so connected.

I don’t know what’s better, the acting or the story writing, but one thing’s for sure, this movie is an instant classic.