Drop (2025) - Film Review

      Drop, 2025.

      Directed by Christopher Landon.

      Featuring Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, Travis Nelson, Fiona Browne, Tara Mae, Stephanie Karam, Saoirse Hayden, Jordon-Dion Scanlon, Ellen Reidy, Benjamin Pelletier, and Michael Shea.

      SYNOPSIS:

      A widowed mother's long-awaited first date in years turns alarming when she receives anonymous threatening messages on her phone during an upscale dinner, leaving her to ponder whether her charming date is the one behind the harassment.

      Describing director Christopher Landon’s Drop as absurd, annoying, and unconvincing feels like an understatement. With a solid premise that includes apps (DigiDrops) as the anonymous source of trouble and a single mother, Meghann Fahy’s Violet being blackmailed into killing her date Henry (Brandon Sklenar) or risking the lives of her son Toby (Jacob Robinson)—who is being babysat by her sister Jen (Violett Beane)—by a masked intruder, the film squanders significant potential.

      The first mistake appears to stem from the film being associated with Blumhouse, leading to the forced inclusion of trauma in Violet’s backstory, which results in disingenuous portrayals of domestic abuse and the life of a survivor. Violet has been out of her abusive relationship for about five years (the film opens with a prologue hinting at her past, revealing details gradually), meaning she has been away from dating for quite a while. On the positive side, she has built a successful career as a therapist and life coach for other survivors of domestic abuse. Despite her first date in years, she would have arrived looking like a candy cane if not for her sister Jen's influence.

      Henry arrives late to the restaurant, allowing for several characters/suspects to be introduced, including the venue’s piano player, others waiting for dates, potentially mischievous teenagers, a friendly bartender (making everyone a potential suspect in this scenario), and an aspiring stand-up comedian waiter providing misplaced comic relief. However, the film struggles with unpredictability, as there are only two likely suspects behind the harassment. Much of Drop consists of waiting for the inevitable twist, which becomes tiresome.

      Violet eventually gives up trying to determine the culprit, submitting to the twisted scenario she finds herself in and determined to do anything to keep her son and sister safe. She shares her unsettling experiences with Henry, who empathizes and discusses possible suspects. However, once it becomes clear to Violet that the situation is no prank, and real danger looms (her home security has been compromised, and an intruder is visible on her phone's feeds), Henry conveniently becomes oblivious and never mentions the threats again. Despite Violet's increasingly anxious and erratic behavior, he recognizes something is amiss but perplexingly fails to connect the dots.

      If Violet attempts to communicate with him, call 911, or seek help, her tormentor will retaliate against her son and sister. The only escape from this predicament is to kill Henry. The motivation for wanting Henry dead is underwhelming. The most intriguing aspect is Violet's struggle to maintain a façade while navigating the uncomfortable date without alarming him. Her lies and behavior often come across as absurd and unpersuasive, even though Meghann Fahy convincingly portrays stress and panic in this harrowing situation. What further diminishes the film is that once the truth is revealed, the final 15 minutes yield some tension, yet the film resorts to multiple copouts, diminishing the story's urgency and stakes.

      Beyond dating outfits and the upscale restaurant setting, Drop also suffers from poor aesthetics, making the regrettable choice to display large stylized text whenever Violet's harassers send messages, resembling a social media ad rather than a film. Occasionally, when Violet is alone, her surroundings dissolve into a black void to emphasize her isolation, which might have been impactful if the tone weren’t overly playful and misguidedly humorous.

      On a scene-by-scene basis, Drop is predictable (the cheers and applause during a climactic moment at the promotional press screening were jarring, as if the audience had never seen a film before or were so disengaged that a mere plot twist elicited genuine surprise), highlighting a significant flaw, given the film's failure to connect with its characters or sincerely address life after domestic abuse trauma. The decline in quality following the revelation of the premise is steep, marking Christopher Landon’s weakest film to date.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He also serves as the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd