A suspenseful, modern thriller that resonates with contemporary digital anxieties.
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From the director of well-received horror films like as Happy Death Day (2017) and Freaky (2020), Christopher Landon drops [pun intended] his latest suspense thriller, DROP. With a runtime of 95 minutes, Landon delivers a punchy and succinct popcorn thriller in the context of what might be the worst first date ever experienced. As the leading lady of DROP, this is Meghann Fahy’s next significant performance following her much lauded appearance in Season 2 of Max's prestige drama, The White Lotus.
The film opens with a harrowing scene of Violet (Fahy) grappling with her abusive partner and father of her son who is wielding a gun. We then follow Violet as she apprehensively (understandably so) prepares for her first date with Henry (Brandon Sklenar) after the death of her partner – leaving it an opened ended question at this juncture as to whether she killed him. With great reticence, she leaves her sister, Jen (Violett Beane), to babysit her son, Toby (Jacob Robinson) while she heads to an upscale downtown Chicago restaurant to meet Henry. Violet has the comfort of video surveillance of her home via her mobile phone.
When Violet reaches Palate, the fine dining restaurant located in a high rise in the city, Henry informs that he is running late and tells her he will meet her at the bar and this is when the thrill ride begins. As she heads to the bar, the audience is introduced to various background characters who may or may not be potentially significant to the events that are to unfold such as the haughty hostess, the wise bartender, the sleazy pianist and a fumbling elderly gentleman also on a first date.
When Violet and Henry are finally seated and served by a boundary-crossing and bumbling but charming server, Matt, Violet starts to receive a series of anonymous messages (aka drops) to her phone from an app called “DigiDrop” (which stands in for the Airdrop function on iPhones) with memes containing disturbing content. This eventually escalates into threats of harm against her sister and son at home unless she complies with increasingly sinister instructions, culminating in the demand to kill Henry via poison. Unable to contact the authorities or even her date for help as Violet’s phone is cloned and accessible to her blackmailer and she is under constant covert video and audio surveillance, it soon becomes clear Violet must tap into her past experiences and intelligence to outwit the anonymous cyber blackmailer to save her family and her date.
Given the entirety of the action remains within the confines of the restaurant, Palate, the closed setting and limited possibilities of who Violet’s blackmailer could be enhances the claustrophobic atmosphere created and really adds to the tense atmosphere. Together with Violet, the audience is forced to closely examine the parties in the restaurant to figure out who is the one sending the messages as the drops are limited to within 50 feet of her phone (i.e. only within the restaurant). The primary focus on the use of technology, particularly the “DigiDrop” feature, as the central plot device is also an extremely smart move as the action is essentially contained to Violet’s mobile phone which never leaves her side (as does the audience).
Fahy’s portrayal of Violet is truly another example of her prowess as the leading actress in the film with her incredibly ability to convey fear, determination, and vulnerability as she tries desperately to save both her family and date. The micro expressions crossing her face as she attempt to pretend that all is well in line with her blackmailer’s demands must be seen to be appreciated. Sklenar’s Henry is movie-star handsome and is a strong but stable presence throughout the date and provides a calming balance to Violet’s escalating distress and increasingly inconsistent behaviour. The pair share an easy chemistry of a couple who clearly like each other and as this disaster of a date progresses, they also provide immense depth and complexity when the film broaches the subject of the abuse Violet has faced in her past. The supporting performances by Beane as Jen, Violet’s sister, and Jacob Robinson as Toby, her adorable bespectacled son also round out a fairly strong cast.
While there appears to be some commentary on the perils of modern technology as well as daily digital intrusions, the main focus does appear to be more so the thrilling action in this instance. While a case can be made on the underlying themes of control, surveillance, and the psychological impact of anonymous threats with the advent of the mobile phone and ubiquitous connectivity (given Violet’s constant checking of her mobile phone due to the numerous incoming threats and directions), one can’t help but be distracted by the ongoing non-stop action to consider the impact on how modern technology has impacted our lives. The film does however mirror some real-world concerns about privacy and the potential dangers of ubiquitous connectivity given that Violet’s blackmailer appears to have unfettered access to her phone.
In short, this is a suitable summer popcorn flick with compelling performances, especially by Fahy which has an effective use of a confined setting, and timely themes. While the plot does go off the rails and reaches the realm of implausibility, it does not detract from significantly from the overall experience. DROP is definitely recommended for audiences seeking a suspenseful, modern thriller that resonates with contemporary digital anxieties.
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