Film Pick of the Week: The Outfit - review by Yvette Huddleston

Set in 1950s Chicago it stars Mark Rylance as Leonard Burling, a British immigrant, who runs his own bespoke tailoring shop. He trained on Savile Row and is much sought-after by the great and the good (and the bad) of the city for his fine cutting skills and his attention to detail. He works alone, aside from his young assistant/receptionist Mable (Zoey Deutch) and leads a simple, quiet and uneventful life.

However, his shop is used as a drop-off point for the local mobsters (who are also among his best clients) with various shady types coming through the shop into the back workshop to post protection money into a locked box attached to the wall. We get an idea of how Leonard found himself in this predicament – he owes his first commission, as well as subsequent support and protection, to the local mob boss Roy Boyle (Simon Russell Beale). The ageing Boyle is now beginning to think about handing over the running of his empire and his hot-headed son Richie (Dylan O’Brien) is getting jumpy as he feels that his old man is favouring efficient new lieutenant Francis (Johnny Flynn) who took several bullets for Roy in a gang shooting.

The nicely twisting plot takes off when the wise guys start getting nervous about a package marked with a distinctive stamp, belonging to a mysterious organisation known as ‘the outfit’. Apparently, the envelope contains damning evidence of the various criminal activities of Boyle and his crew, recorded by the FBI, a copy of said tape has been given to them by ‘a powerful friend’. After a shootout with a rival gang, Frances and the wounded Richie take refuge in Burling’s shop. The tailor is required to help and is privy to information he doesn’t want to hear. Things then unravel very quickly, putting both Burling and Mable, of whom he is protective in a fatherly way, in jeopardy.

It has a very theatrical feel – all of the action taking place within the confines of Burling’s shop and workshop and there are often lengthy scenes between just two characters – which lends the narrative a pleasing intensity.