“The Drop” is a crime drama film, from director Michëal R. Roskam and screenplay writer Dennis Lehane. It follows the story of Bob Saginowski, played by Tom Hardy, through his lonely life as a bartender at his cousin Marv’s, played by James Gandolfini, bar. The bar collects and passes cash to local gangs, a procedure called  “money drop.” When a robbery occurs at the bar, Bob finds himself at the center of an investigation that digs into his past, and the past of the community as well.

This film is not only the story of Bob’s involvement in the investigation of a simple robbery and cash exchanges for a gang, it’s also the story of his seeking redemption for his past. When Bob finds a puppy beaten and thrown away in a trashcan, he finds a meaning and begins to move forward in his life, fighting the challenges that block his path.  However, his cousin is attempting to relive the past, and become a big player in the underground Brooklyn crime scene.

A gripping and telling story of human nature, this film follows the notion of a man who is doing what needs to be done to survive in the dark underworld of Brooklyn. At times, the film is humorous and heartwarming, but continues to keep your attention through the entire hour and a half with a fascinating look into the life of a simple man and a simple bartender, not looking for trouble.

This is a must-see film, not only because it’s Gandolfini’s final film and he does a great performance in the movie, but also because “The Drop” is a good story, the type of story that doesn’t come around all that often. It’s filled with redemption, choices of life or death and love—not only of a woman, but of also of an innocent puppy that only asks for love.