Let’s get one thing straight right now, Leonard is not a tailor. He’s a sophisticated cutter, using his cherished shears to create immaculate, timeless suits. He’s a certified master craftsman, which makes perfect sense as to why the role fits like a glove for Mark Rylance. This is inarguably my favorite of his thus far. It’s tough to imagine anyone else leading The Outfit – a stylish, clever mob thriller that offers more than a few surprises in between the bullets and bloodshed.
Set in 1950’s Chicago, Leonard has a nice shop on the corner whose cliental consists of dangerous men. Him and his assistant Mable (Zoey Deutch) do their best to mind their own business as Richie Boyle (Dylan O’Brien) and Francis (Johnny Flynn) come in to collect envelopes of cash each day on behalf of their boss and Ritchie’s father, Roy (Simon Russell Beale). Though, on one fateful night – Leonard and Mabel get entangled in the middle of mobsters clashing over a tape that could cause all they have built to come crashing down. It also should provide proof of a suspected rat who has been talking too much about them Boyle hoodlums. And last but certainly not least, they can’t forget about The Outfit – a secret society that takes care of gangsters if you’re fortunate enough to be a part of it.
The Outfit is the directorial debut from the Oscar winning writer of The Imitation Game, Graham Moore. The way in which he pushes the plot from point to point, soaking in the stellar performances on the way to another wonderful reveal, is ever so magnetic. Admittedly, there’s a part of us that knows not all is what it seems, so not every surprise is stupefying; although, the more we find out, the more enthralling this chamber piece becomes. Moore shows exquisite taste in talent and lets them do the heavy lifting amid delivering dialogue that occasionally echoes a bigger bang than the pulling of the trigger.
The biggest joy is watching Rylance play cinematic chess, every move being so ingenious and well calculated. As Leonard, he takes great pride in what he does, yet there are glimpses and just a general gut feeling that he’s haunted by his past. Run all you want, it will always catch up with you in the end. And it’s pure pleasure watching Leonard and Francis attempt to outsmart each other. The Outfit is a terrifically tense, small-scale slow burner that’s a cut above the rest.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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