A British tailor living in the crime infested Chicago of the 1950s finds himself caught in a deadly conflict between gangs.
Leonard Burling (Mark Rylance) is an English tailor who came to America to escape the horrors of the second World War, and to begin his life anew after the death of his family. Leonard is dedicated, softspoken, and serves as a father figure to his assistant, Mable (Zoey Deutch). The only flaw in his relatively peaceful existence is a local gang who are both his best customers and the bane of his existence. They frequently use his shop as a spot to hide illegal contraband and threaten Leonard’s life if he protests the arrangement.
Richie (Dylan O’Brien) is the wayward son of a local gang leader and Mable’s boyfriend. He complains about not being taken seriously by his father (Simon Russel Beale) and bristles at his father’s respect for his second-in-command, Francis (Johnny Flynn).
A deadly encounter with a rival gang leads to Richie and Francis rushing into Leonard’s shop one winter night to hideout. A misunderstanding culminates in a murder and Leonard being roped into helping cover it up. From there, various characters converge on the shop to acquire a mysterious tape that puts everyone’s future in jeopardy.
Mark Rylance’s performance in this film is astounding. As someone who’d only ever seen him in last year’s apocalyptic satire, Don’t Look Up, I wasn’t sure what to expect in this film. The way he portrays Leonard as a quiet and meek tailor who can easily flip to someone who is manipulative and deadly is frightening in the best way. It truly leaves viewers wondering which one is the real Leonard.
The character is quick on his feet in tense situations, but is also someone who finds it eerily easy to read people’s intentions and use it to his advantage. It will throw viewers off as this ability is revealed over several subtle moments. A character that causes you to question your perception of their actions isn’t an easy feat to pull off, but Rylance does it with astounding aplomb.
O’Brien, known for his roles in the Maze Runner films and MTV’s Teen Wolf, does an excellent job here as well. He perfectly portrays the privileged son with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. The character might have been completely horrible if not for the little redemption we get during his interactions with Mable. Their romance is briefly shown on screen, however, she seems to have a calming effect on him. It’s not the greatest love story you’ll ever see, but it helps to endear O’Brien’s character to the audience.
Zoey Deutch does a great job as Mable. She portrays the character as a starry-eyed dreamer who yearns to leave Chicago and see the world. There’s a twist with her character later in the story that arguably puts Deutch’s acting on par with Rylance. There’s more to Mable than we initially imagined, and watching Deutch take the character in a slightly more manipulative and devious direction is thrilling.
Simon Russel Beale and Johnny Flynn bring unexpected depth to their characters as well. Their characters could have easily come across as one note villains, however, the movie manages to add depth and motivations to each. It’s satisfying to watch, and, although you aren’t rooting for them, you understand their actions.
Fans of crime dramas and thrillers will find that this film is a perfect fit for them. The plot is crafty, and doesn’t reveal its full hand until its ready. The writing and directing is stellar, and you can tell that writer-director Graham Moore put a lot into crafting this twisty narrative. The idea that a gangster’s tailor would be intimately involved in their illegal dealings is a fascinating concept. Taking it a step further and revealing that said tailor could be their undoing is even more fascinating, and the film mines that concept for all its worth.
The Outfit is currently playing in theaters from Focus Features.
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Writer. Video Essayist. Film/TV Critic. Pop Culture Enthusiast.
When he isn’t writing for Geek Vibes Nation or The Cinema Spot, Tristian can be found typing away at one of the novels or screenplays he’s been working on forever.
