First dates can be rife with stress. After all, putting yourself out there can be scary. That’s just for us regular folk, too. Imagine if there were actual life and death stakes, not just for a stranger, but for those you love as well? That’s the hook of Drop, a thriller with whodunit elements that ironically makes for a very satisfying date night movie outing. The film is imperfect, though ultimately quite enjoyable to just sit back and take in.
Drop has a tech savvy element to it that gives it a unique personality. In broad strokes, this is a version of Red Eye, just in a restaurant as opposed to an airplane. A contained environment, potential family harm if you don’t do as your pseudo captor demands, and so on. Here, there’s some nice bonding during the date, but figuring out who’s behind this scheme is as much the hook, even if it’s not hard to figure out.
Widowed mother Violet (Meghann Fahy) is finally getting back out there and going on a date. Her sister Jen (Violett Beane) is on hand to babysit her son Toby (Jacob Robinson), allowing her to meet up with Henry (Brandon Sklenar) for dinner after three months of chatting. A victim of abuse, Violet now counsels for a living, though the trauma is never far from her mind. So, she approaches this entire endeavor waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Arriving at the upscale restaurant for their date, Violet takes a seat at the bar since Henry is running late. She strikes up a conversation with Richard (Reed Diamond), here on a blind date, gets hit on by the piano player, and is comforted by the bartender (Gabrielle Ryan). Once Henry arrives, they’re both awkward but clearly attracted to each other, with plenty of chemistry. Then, Violet starts receiving a series of anonymous drops to her phone. Initially ignoring them, she eventually gives in and looks, terrified to find out that she needs to follow instructions or a hooded figure on her home security cameras will kill Jen and Toby. She can’t tell anyone what’s going on and must do as she’s told, or tragedy will ensue. Eventually, she’s given the awful instruction to kill Henry. Can she? Should she? As she tries to figure out who is behind this all, these thoughts all run through her head.
Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar have a playfulness to their interactions that’s among the film’s best elements. Fahy depicts complex emotions in a way that never trivializes them, while Sklenar is the picture of cool understanding. Violett Beane is some nice comic relief, though isn’t utilized enough, while Jacob Robinson is a child actor, with all that entails. In addition to Reed Diamond and Gabrielle Ryan, supporting players here include Travis Nelson, Jeffery Self, Michael Shea, Ed Weeks, and more.
Christopher Landon directs a script by Jillian Jacobs and Christopher Roach, with Landon’s devilish sense of play on full display. His best work to date is Freaky, which is far gorier than this one, while also having more consistently funny humor. Here, Jacobs and Roach have a screenplay that plays like a tech version of Red Eye, using airdrops as its tool of tension. It’s not as effective as other films of this ilk, but Landon stretches out the whodunit element to keep you invested. However, the interplay between Fahy and Sklenar ends up being the highlight.
Drop may not reach the ridiculous good time heights of Freaky, but it’s still quality date night entertainment. The only knock on this one is knowing what Landon is capable of. This is slightly more mainstream than his prior work, though it could also open him up to an even wider audience. If it leads to more resources for his next outing, then it’s all good in my book.
SCORE: ★★★
