Some audience members will cry foul at several twists and turns The Outfit makes. While there are only a few true surprises, this sleek gangster homage stands among Focus and Lucky Number Slevin in being much more about quick dialogue and sheer style. And Moore brings such fantastic style that even though the production could be a play when thinking about it broadly, as the movie stands, it feels cinematic and big. A dead body winds up in a trunk in the suit shop. As other gangsters come and go about the premise, Moore and Goldberg continually cut to the small pool of blood dripping from the bottom of the trunk. It brilliantly builds Hitchcockian levels of suspense.
But the cast truly makes The Outfit shine past its clever lines and twisty story. O’Brien proved himself a fun action hero in Love And Monsters (yes, I loved it) and continues that trajectory in a more realistic role here. He makes Richie likable, despite the man’s cocksure, angry demeanor. Likewise, Flynn turns Francis into something beyond the crazy heavy seen so many times before. See, Francis is also very intelligent, and the actor plays everything like he’s the smartest one in the room, which may or may not be true. And in just a handful of scenes, Nikki Amuka-Bird almost steals the entire show.
“…the true star is Rylance, and he’s never been better.”
Deutch puts aside her well-honed comedic sensibilities, mines something more subtle, and hits gold. She turns Mabel into a force to be reckoned with, not some damsel in distress. Plus, her chemistry with Rylance is excellent, so the platonic love the two have for each other is never in question.
But, as fabulous as she is, the true star is Rylance, and he’s never been better. The actor communicates so much about his character’s thoughts and feelings with just a stare or how he leans in the doorframe. His soft voice versus his exacting posture seem to suggest two different people, and this duality is played to intriguing effect by Rylance. Viewers are never privy to who the tailor was before coming to the U.S., but thanks to strong characterization and the actor’s finely tuned turn, everyone watching can fill in the blanks without unnecessary, momentum-killing exposition.
The Outfit is terrific and distinguished from start to finish. While the plot is not the most original, that is hardly a sin. Moore’s outstanding direction (seriously, how is this his first feature-length effort?) is stylish, subtly reeling one in, as the suspense and thrills slowly boil over. Couple that with the superb editing, and seeing the film on the big screen becomes imperative. Now, add in the incredible cast, especially the award-worthy performances of Deutch and Rylance, and one realizes that this is an early contender for best movie of the year.
"…an early contender for best movie of the year."
