Drop (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – A widowed mother’s first date in years takes a terrifying turn when she’s bombarded with anonymous threatening messages on her phone during their upscale dinner, leaving her questioning if her charming date is behind the harassment.

My Take – While we have lost the opportunity to see what his version of a ‘Scream‘ film would like, I was contented enough to see a new feature from writer/director Christopher Landon, known for his work on the Happy Death Day films and one of the best filmmakers working in the Hollywood space right now, who once again uses a simple premise, familiar to anyone who has received an unwanted and mysterious Air Dropped meme pic, and drills into it with fresh and invigorating precision.

Fully embracing many facets of modern technology for its twists and turns, here, director Landon combines tech paranoia and the looming specter of abuse to create something surprisingly taut and entertaining.

Reminiscent of thrillers like Phone Booth (2002), Red Eye (2005) and Carry-On (2024), this one is probably his best directed, most stylish film yet as it uses the single location to creatively play in terms of atmospheric lighting choices, intrusive editing, and an excellent use of sound to highlight the tension and underscore the drama.

Sure, there are some leaps during the finale that come close to pushing it too far, but in every other way this a prime example of what a tight 95 minute thriller should be.

The tension never lets up, it comes full circle in a satisfying fashion and everything that’s set up gets a solid pay off, including a cautionary tale about the toxic trench that is social media, just how creepy technology can be and themes of claustrophobia and entrapment.

The story follows Violet (Meghann Fahy), a therapist for survivors of domestic violence and a single mother to a five-year-old son, who is trying to dip her toe back into dating.

Nervously set for her first date with Henry (Brandon Sklenar), a handsome photographer she’s been speaking to online for the past few months, Violet leaves behind her adorable 5-year-old Toby (Jacob Robinson) with her snarky, supportive sister Jen (Violett Beane) and heads to the upscale restaurant.

But what starts off as a seemingly normal night out quickly spirals into a claustrophobic nightmare, as she begins receiving creepy digital drops from an anonymous tormentor who’s holding her family hostage. From that point on, it’s a tense, cat-and-mouse game as Violet has to think on her feet while everyone around her becomes a potential threat.

Set mostly in a single location, the script, written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach, mixes the anxiety of a first date with the horror of a hostage situation. To send something this way, the sender must be within a range of about 50 feet, i.e. within the restaurant itself, yielding a fun and fervent paranoia as Violet looks around the establishment, and focuses in on numerous individuals, who begin appearing to her under spotlights.

The plot might seem repetitive, going back and forth between Violet trying to follow the anonymous rules and worming her way out of them to seek help, but the film’s exciting, stage-like formal flourishes and its disorienting lensing keep things moving smoothly.

At a time where our most private information is vulnerable to a phone-snatch or a single erroneous click of a link, the film takes full advantage of our trusted tech’s most terrifying capabilities. No matter what Violet tries, or who she seeks help from, she’s caught by the cameras surrounding her and the device in her hand. The once-comforting luxury of the upscale restaurant becomes a gilded surveillance state. And the handy phone proves to be the ideal setting for a 21st-century paranoid thriller.

Having the lead character be a survivor of domestic abuse adds another layer of cruelty to the lack of control she has over her situation, while also allowing for catharsis if she’s able to work through her trauma and emerge victorious. The theme is dealt with gently but directly, never feeling exploitative because it ultimately seems like an attempt at healing rather than a cheap way to increase the suspense of the central situation.

And of course, Landon directs the heck out of it, playing with focus and lighting to convey stress and hopelessness, using controlled but chaotic camerawork to compound violence, and splashing text across the screen to make its virtual elements feel as real as everything else that threatens to tear its protagonist’s world apart.

Add to that a delightfully classic yet pulpy score from Bear McCreary, and you get an atmospheric and absorbing little thriller that keeps you hooked for its duration. Despite its quick pace, it also knows how to slow down in certain moments. Violet and Henry have some time to chat amidst the high-stakes situation, getting to the honesty and authenticity that got them chatting on the dating app to begin with.

Violet is candid and vulnerable about aspects of her past, as the life-threatening circumstances she’s in elevate her already heightened emotions. Like the audience, Violet doesn’t have time to dwell; she has to be quick while pretending to have a good time. Violet’s trauma, her guilt, her protectiveness-those threads give the narrative more than just surface thrills. And the final showdown at her house is a satisfying, nail-biting conclusion to everything that’s been building.

Performance wise, Meghann Fahy excels in the lead role. The film rests firmly on her shoulders in terms of performance. She’s in every single frame and the pressure of pulling off a compelling portrayal while also working to get out of an awful situation is tough, but Fahy does all that and more. It’s impressive and she instantly makes Violet someone to root for and care about.

Brandon Sklenar, once again convincingly plays the nice, understanding guy to a woman who has survived domestic abuse, following It Ends with Us (2024). Together they have a natural chemistry so you’re really rooting for this date to go well despite everything in its way.

Despite, the set-up the supporting cast gets their moments to shine. Jeffery Self’s intrusive, overly enthusiastic waiter is a particular delight, Gabrielle Ryan, Ed Weeks and Reed Diamond are also fantastic. Violett Beane shines & gets her moment later in the game. On the whole, ‘Drop’ is a ridiculously fun thriller that is entirely sure of its own conceit.