A Review of "Drop": The Perfect Blend of Thrills and Date-Night Drama
First dates can often deliver unexpected surprises—some delightful, others downright disturbing. But nothing can quite compare to the night Violet (Meghann Fahy) experiences in the new thriller Drop. After the loss of her husband, Violet faces the modern challenges of dating once again, only to find herself embroiled in a heart-pounding evening that blurs the lines between romance and horror.
A Warning from the Modern Dating Landscape
In Drop, director Christopher Landon—known for his previous works like Happy Death Day and Freaky—takes a swing at meshing Hitchcockian suspense with De Palma’s edge, topped off with a hint of the chaotic digital world we live in today. Scheduled for an April 11 theatrical release, this film serves not only as an engaging thriller but also as a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of online dating—and the importance of keeping your phone charged.
Setting the Stage: A Date to Remember
The film opens with an unsettling scene: Violet awakens bloodied and bruised on the floor of a foyer, faced with a mysterious man who thrusts a pistol into her hands. As chilling as that moment is, we are quickly whisked away to a more relatable setting. Violet, a therapist, is seen using Zoom to counsel a patient grappling with trauma.
Determined to step back into the dating scene, she leaves her five-year-old son, Toby (Jacob Robinson), with her supportive sister Jen (Violett Beane). The latter suggests a seductive wardrobe makeover for Violet’s big night out, leading her to slip into a sultry red dress—a stark contrast to her usual attire.
The High-Stakes Dinner
Violet arrives at the posh Palate restaurant, where she’s set to meet Henry (Brandon Sklenar), a man she met on a dating app. However, the evening takes a turn when Henry is late, and Violet encounters a series of odd characters who blur the lines of normalcy, including a stranger fixated on his phone and Richard (Reed Diamond), who mistakenly believes she’s his blind date. Each interaction carries an undercurrent of tension, hinting at the predicaments that follow.
As she settles in, Violet receives mysterious AirDrop messages from an anonymous sender. Initially dismissed as pranks, these messages spiral into a night of terror when Henry eventually arrives, and the well-meaning conversation is derailed by the impending threat from a hacker who has laid siege to her life.
The Heart-Pounding Dilemma
In a whirlwind of chaos, Violet learns that her phone has been cloned, her home security compromised, and her son is now at risk. The masked assailant demands that she comply with increasingly dire instructions to keep her son safe. The restaurant, meant to be a haven, morphs into a cage of paranoia, with every patron potentially harboring a connection to her tormentor.
Landon amplifies the urgency of Violet’s predicament through skillful direction, making even the most mundane interactions fraught with suspense. Each character—from a loquacious waiter to a cold maître d’—becomes shrouded in suspicion, capturing the viewer in a web of intrigue where deciphering friend from foe is nearly impossible. The intricate screenplay, penned by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach, never allows tension to wane.
Cracking the Mystery
As the film pushes Violet to her limits, it cleverly unveils the motives behind her manipulation, spinning a tale that centers intricately around Henry’s job. The dual nature of their relationship—simultaneously charming yet suspicions—keeps audiences invested. While Fahy’s performance adds layers to Violet’s character, showcasing her resilience in face of adversity, the chemistry with Henry often feels lukewarm, which might detract from the stakes.
Landon’s visual style—using techniques like reverse zooms and text overlays that feel alarmingly personal—maintains a brisk pace, ensuring viewers are always on the edge of their seats.
A Thrilling Experience Not Without Flaws
Though Drop extends its narrative a tad implausibly, leading Violet and Henry to repeatedly vacate their table for crucial exchanges, these minor mishaps are easy to overlook in the grand scheme. Fahy’s solid performance grounds the emotional weight of the film, and while Drop settles for a somewhat conventional resolution, it ultimately delivers enough thrilling chaos to make up for its flaws.
Conclusion: Date Night Approved
Despite its occasional slip-ups, Drop is a captivating genre thriller that plays masterfully on the fine line between romance and horror, making it an excellent option for a date-night film—ironically just the sort of movie Violet might avoid on her own evening out.
In a world where first dates can turn into nightmares, Drop serves as both a thrilling cautionary tale and an entertaining cinematic ride. Don’t miss its theatrical debut on April 11, and prepare yourself for a night at the movies you won’t soon forget.
