Le tailleur

"Anyone can be tailor." Leonard (Mark Rylance)

Although sometimes I can't tell if I love film more than theater, with The Outfit I found a film that satisfies both affections. Writer-director Grahame Moore brings a Hitchcock frame of mind with one dominant location, an atelier holding no more than four or five characters, just like a theater stage, and a sense of foreboding coming from history and the characters themselves, just like the modern psychological thrillers do.

Just watch out for those scissors-Hitch would love the touch.

Underneath the simple set is a rumbling of sin as the meek tailor, Leonard, contends with three mobs threatening him and his secretary, Mable (Zoey Deutch). He is required to stitch around those who want to kill each other and destroy his business, with different crooks coming in the front door intent on finding a tape that allegedly would send them to jail.

The joy of this neo-noir thriller is the suspense that Hitchcock virtually patented because his non-mob characters are seemingly innocent types, and his sinners not quite in control of their ambitions. What Hitch and other thriller directors like Moore want is to show the vulnerability of the common citizen and the weaknesses of the seasoned mobsters.

Although it's up to Leonard, small haberdashery owner in Chicago, to protect his shop, he also, in a narcotic-like voice over, explains the allegorical implications of his cutting and sewing. For instance, he is not a tailor but rather a cutter. The former artless, the latter a professional trained for years on London's iconic Saville Row.

No recent film has surpassed The Outfit's ability to reveal the wickedness of humanity and its adaptability while supplying a dose of old-time noir. Delight in the spare set, the super acting, and the innumerable closeups that do as much to reveal character as the uncomplicated, Pinter-like dialogue.

Although this tidy feature, similar to Leonard in its meticulous revelation of character and motive, seems suited to streaming, it is a euphoric experience on the big screen as the spare audiences can be enveloped by the powerful characters and story, in a setting that puts all in a dynamic room with mystery aplenty.

The Outfit proves that you don't need a bunch of over paid actors and a huge budget to make a great film. A good script and solid acting works just as well. 7 stars.

Suspend your disbelief - it is possible to do so. Especially because the actors and the setting is so well chosen, that you will just fit right into it. No pun intended - and even though there are certain things that seem quite coincidental and based on luck rather on skill or whatever else you would want to call it, the movie and the characters in it, really draw you in - I guess that could also be considered a pun.

While the not tailor (don't call him that, he is a cutter) is at the center of the story and many things seem simple ... there are quite a few revelations that might be able to surprise you. Again do not worry about what makes sense or not too much - just enjoy how well woven it all is - ah another pun. Well I can't help it, it feels good when I put them on and they work like a charm ... charm(e) also something that can be said about the actors involved in this. Not many people in it, but those who are give it their best ... great thriller, with touches of evil and Hitchcock ...

The Outfit makes up for its few flaws with snappy dialogue, intriguingly layered characters, and some truly satisfying thrills and unexpected twists.

Certain bits of conversation will reveal quirks and backgrounds for every character, and it makes it easy to rally behind any one of them, in spite of their tangible flaws. The writing in this department is truly worthy of the highest praise.

The film's concluding twists reach quite a bit too far, requiring some logical leaps, mostly because they imply that some characters knew and predicted things that left far too much to chance.

But even though the story does stumble at the end, I was amazed at how engaged I was throughout the entire rest of the film, despite the whole thing taking place in three rooms. It's a pretty impressive addition to the tired gangster genre.

Having arrived on Chicago from Saville Row, London, master tailor Leonard has to survive a deadly night at his Tailor's shop.

It is the perfect game of cat and mouse, after the long opening sequence, and opening fifteen minutes, I wasn't too sure it was going to be the kind of movie I'd enjoy, however, it opens up, and from that moment onwards it's a dramatic tale of intrigue and suspense. I could imagine this being done on the stage.

Well paced, original, I don't have many films to compare it to, it is quite a unique watch. The visuals are very much on point, as you'd expect the fashions are exquisite.

Not w big cast list, but every single character has purpose, and plays a rich part in this well woven mystery.

Mark Rylance, (it staggers me how much his voice sounds like Donald Pleasance,) delivers a career best performance as The Master cutter, I thought he was phenomenal here.

Loved it, 9/10.