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The Outfit (2022) - IMDbReview

The Outfit (Crime, Drama, Thriller) (2022)

 

Director: Graham Moore

Writer: Graham Moore, Johnathan McClain

Stars: Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch, Dylan O’Brien, Johnny Flynn


Owning a bespoke tailoring shop in an area of Chicago controlled by the Irish Mob, Leonard Burling (Mark Rylance) is caught in the middle of a tense situation involving the rivalling LaFontaine family.

Previously writing and producing ‘’The Imitation Game’’, Graham Moore has shown his talents within that area of filmmaking, but now it is time to prove his talent again. This time on the director’s chair in a unique single-location gangster flick. ‘’The Outfit’’ premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and has been produced by FilmNation Entertainment while distributed by Focus Features.

The Outfit (2022) - IMDbDedicated to his craft, Mr Burling is an eccentric Englishman who has gained the favour of Roy Boyle and his associates. Despite distancing himself from the activities of his frequenters, Burling is caught in the crossfire as his shop is the closest safe haven for Roy’s wounded son Richie Boyle to visit.

If you’d explain ‘’The Outfit’’ to anyone, you could depict it as a side character in a gangster movie becoming the primary character. With that comes a lot of weight, as Burling’s devoted yet mild-mannered tailor, or rather a cutter as he’d state himself, is much more complicated than he might seem at first. Rylance’s soft-spoken and elegant narration guides the viewer between scenes, describing his craft or giving additional context to events. You could picture ‘’The Outfit’’ as a more artistic version of Cluedo-inspired projects such as ‘’Knives Out’’ or the Hercule Poirot films by Kenneth Branagh.

Outfit, The - Film - Luna CinemasWhile the Chicago mobsters are certainly as stereotypical as they come, it adds to the film overall, feeling in parts like a Broadway Play, adding to the elegance. Moore controls the atmosphere having only a single location in which everything is acted out. Within a mere half hour or so, it seems to settle, and you’d imagine where the narrative takes it, but ‘’The Outfit’’ never affixes itself to what it presents. The cast and characters keep switching, and the plot develops with an uneasy, creeping tension throughout the running time.

This wouldn’t be the same film if not for Mark Rylance’s eccentric and enlivening performance. However, overall it presents a unique take on cinema within the era showcased. It doesn’t need a ton of excitement and spectacle, the neo-noir aesthetic and the entrapping tale stands out as an incredible success for Moore’s feature debut and a film that will most certainly appear during award season.


Verdict

I like the cut of this one’s jib.

8,2