The Outfit Review: A Riveting Crime Thriller Tailor-Made For Mark Rylance
The Outfit is an old-school crime thriller that takes advantage of having a charismatic ensemble, a brilliant lead in Mark Rylance and a snazzy single location dressed up to the teeth by the production designer.
Set in 1956, the story follows a cutter named Leonard (Rylance), more affectionately known as «English» by the gangsters that use his suit shop as a front for their own crime business. Leonard is based in Chicago with a sophisticated suit shop that caters to the gentleman of the area, and the men who use the place as their own personal post office. Johnny Flynn and Dylan O’Brien play two young gangsters who burst into the shop one night due to the latter being shot in an ambush. What transpires over the next few hours — including the reveal of a tape with recorded evidence of illegal activity — will push Leonard and his unwanted guests to the edge.
Related: The Outfit Trailer: Dylan O’Brien & Mark Rylance Lead Crime Drama
As is the case with many films of late, The Outfit suffers a bit in its nearly two-hour runtime that undercuts the tension and momentum of the film. 105 minutes may not seem long, but considering the pacing of this film and how much of it is dedicated to Leonard monologuing, the film could have been a lean 90 minutes and it would have been better for it. That said, the film is a delight to sit through otherwise. There is an ease and confidence with which director Graham Moore brings each element of The Outfit — which Moore co-wrote with Johnathan McClain — together. Fans of Alfred Hitchcock and the golden era of 1950s Hollywood thrillers will enjoy the sumptuous production design and the casual pace at which the film's story unfolds.
Mark Rylance is a gem and he inhabits this role perfectly. The
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