The Outfit (2022) is Tailor-made to near Perfection
When I first came across this film while looking for some evening entertainment last weekend, I think my brain focused in on “English” and “Tailor”, and I subconsciously just moved on to the next contender. Today, I noticed there was another word in the marketing synopsis that I had missed: gangsters. More specifically, Chicago gangsters, and a story that is set in the 1950s. Once it finally clicked (thankfully I had a couple of days left on my Peacock subscription) I fired it up, and I can now say that – aside from one small criticism – The Outfit (2022) is one of my favorite films from the past year or two.
If you asked me whether I was a fan of Mark Rylance movies, I would likely give you a strange look and have to admit that I had no idea who that was. Although Mr. Rylance has been quite active in feature films, it appears that he’s known as a star of the stage far more than that of the screen. In fact, it appears he’s considered by many to be among the greatest stage actors of all-time, and let me tell you, it clearly shows in The Outfit.
As the film opens, we hear Leonard (Rylance), the unassuming British-Immigrant owner of a local men’s tailory, expertly narrating some of steps in creating a suit. (On a side note, Rylance must be from a similar part of England as Terrence Stamp, as his accent, cadence, and even tonality of his voice had me thinking it was actually Stamp.) Leonard is joined by a young woman named Mable (Zoey Deutch), who is working as his shop assistant, while also entertaining visions of traveling and seeing the world – visions that she openly shares. Leonard appears a very proper English gentleman who takes special note to correct those who refer to him as simply a tailor. Politely, but with a slight hit of pride and formalism, Leonard explains that while just about anyone can be a tailor, he is, in fact, a Cutter. He further expounds on the distinction by referring to “The Row”, which is a stretch of businesses in London run by the most elite craftsman in the world, and how his own skills were honed over many years prior to owning his own business.
As luck would have it, when Leonard first emigrated to Chicago, his earliest client was a mob boss. His clothing being of a particular quality and cost, mobsters were among the subgroup of customers who could properly afford the wares. Over time, Leonard’s shop received a regular flow of mob traffic, and as such, became almost a hub for the crime family he had initially made contact with. Specifically, a drop box placed in the rear of the building was used for communication within the family. Leonard takes great care to give the mobsters privacy and space when he is in the presence of their dealings, and makes it clear to them that he has no interest in, or knowledge of, their business activities.
I mentioned above that I had one small issue with The Outfit, but first let me just say that I am always impressed with dialogue-driven movies. The entirety of this film occurs within the walls of Leonard’s shop, yet never once did I feel it was confined, restricted or compromised by the narrow scope of setting. In fact, after somewhat of a slow burn over the first twenty minutes, it gradually picks up pace and captivates the viewer through to the end. The dialogue is crisp and purposeful, and the trajectory of the narrative is not often easy to predict, which I appreciated. The one choice I felt was questionable was the casting of Zoey Deutch. While Ms. Deutch is an excellent actor, and is far too talented to ever fall victim to typecasting, I think that my earlier impression of her from previous films caused me to see her as a bit of an anachronism for this ensemble. It always felt to me as if a twenty-first century millennial was showing up in 1950s Chicago. Perhaps others will feel differently, but that was something that I never adjusted to with this one.
I truly love movies like this, and I hope others will give The Outfit a look. In my opinion, this was top notch film-making.
Score: 9.1/10
Starring: Zoey Deutch, Dylan O’Brien, Mark Rylance, and Johnny Flynn
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