Posted at 1:30 p.m.
The Outfit is a classic gangster film with an elegant style. This directorial debut from Oscar-winning screenwriter Graham Moore in 2015 thanks to The Imitation Game, is thus well in phase with the state of mind of the protagonist. The latter indeed exercises the profession of tailor, renowned for the quality of his cuts. His expertise, however, means that he remains stuck in an environment that he would probably prefer not to have to frequent so closely.
Starring the always excellent Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies, Dunkirk), this thriller takes us back to the Chicago of the 1950s, as it is frozen in the collective imagination thanks to the cinema. The actor plays Leonard, this exceptional British tailor who settled in the Windy City after experiencing a personal tragedy. At least, that’s what we suspect. Being located in a neighborhood where the clientele is practically made up only of gangsters, his shop becomes a meeting point where various criminal operations are hatched. The situation gets complicated the day a mole infiltrates the surroundings.
Thanks to a solid cast in which Zoey Deutch, as a faithful assistant, and Simon Russell Beale (the latter in the role of the head of the organization) also stand out, The Outfit remains a film of good quality, even if Graham Moore does not offer us anything very new here. Subtle and nuanced, Mark Rylance’s performance is worthy of a feature film whose action takes place in one place, which also gives it an sometimes theatrical aspect.
The Outfit (The tailor in French version) is showing in theaters.
Thriller
The Outfit
(VF: The Tailor)
Graham Moore
Starring Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch, Johnny Flynn
1:49