What is The Outfit about?

The Outfit is a crime thriller set in 1950s Chicago, where tailor Leonard Burling's primary clientele is the Irish mob. When a mob member arrives at Burling's shop with a badly injured associate, Burling finds himself drawn into a deadly game, navigating the agendas and rivalries of the various mob figures.

Who directed The Outfit?

The Outfit was directed by first-time filmmaker Graham Moore, who co-wrote the script with Johnathan McClain.

How does Mark Rylance's performance as Leonard Burling contribute to the film?

Mark Rylance delivers a powerful performance as Leonard Burling, the tailor at the center of the story. Rylance portrays Burling as a man with a soft spot for certain mob members, yet also adept at turning them against each other, driving the film's tense and thrilling narrative.

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Tailor's Tightrope: Navigating the Mob's Demands in 1950s Chicago

9 Nov

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Summary

First-time director Graham Moore's crime thriller set in 1950s Chicago
Tailor Leonard Burling's clientele includes the Irish mob
Rylance's powerful performance as Burling, caught in a deadly game

Tailor's Tightrope: Navigating the Mob's Demands in 1950s Chicago

In November 2025, a new crime thriller set in 1950s Chicago is garnering attention. The Outfit, directed by first-time filmmaker Graham Moore, follows the story of Leonard Burling, an English tailor whose primary clientele is the Irish mob.

One fateful night, Burling's world comes crashing into his tailor shop when a member of the mob, Francis, arrives with a badly injured associate, Richie Boyle. As the situation unfolds, Burling, played by acclaimed actor Mark Rylance, is drawn into a deadly game, navigating the agendas and rivalries of the various mob figures who pass through his door.

The film's single-location setting, largely confined to Burling's tailor shop, gives it a unique identity within the thriller genre. This decision, potentially driven by budget limitations, allows the audience to uncover clues in plain sight, much like a stage play. The ending reveals the recipient of a suit Burling assembles during the movie, a detail that would have worked well on a stage.

Rylance's performance as Burling is the driving force behind the film, as he portrays the tailor as a man with a soft spot for certain mob members, yet one who is also adept at turning them against each other. The supporting cast, including Johnny Flynn, Dylan O'Brien, and Simon Russell Beale, also deliver strong performances, but it is Rylance who carries the movie on his shoulders.

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