Niche Thriller Pits Tailor Against Gangsters
By Mark Fields
Mark Rylance stars as unassuming British tailor Leonard in 1950s Chicago whose quiet business is disrupted by a series of conflicts between and with members of the local mob. The gangsters have been using his shop as a convenient dead drop for their various illegal dealings when conflict erupts with a rival clan. What evolves is a clever and surprising game of wits with shifting loyalties and alliances between the tight group of characters. Rylance (Bridge of Spies, Dunkirk, Wolf Hall), whose acting skill on stage and screen has garnered growing praise in recent years, is the emotional and psychological heart of this deceptively simple movie. The tight script and quality acting; handsome period sets and costumes; and lovely score by Alexandre Desplat are all well-suited for this parlor thriller.
