DROP (2025 | USA | 95 minutes | Christopher Landon)
DROP is the latest thriller from longtime partners Christopher Landon and Blumhouse Productions, the creatives behind the Happy Death Day and Paranormal Activity franchises. Much like their previous films, DROP doesn’t take itself too seriously—something that likely saves this film in the end.
In the opening scene, we meet a bloodied and battered Violet (Meghann Fahy) fighting for her life against her abusive partner—a struggle that leaves him dead, though whether Violet is to blame is not yet revealed. Years later, we meet a now-widowed Violet as she prepares for her first date with Henry (Brandon Sklenar), a handsome press photographer she’s been messaging online for almost three months. Although her adorable son, Toby (Jacob Robinson), is now five, Violet has never left him alone for a significant amount of time. It’s difficult for her, but she has enlisted the help of her snarky sister Jen (Violett Beane) to babysit. With that, Violet embarks on what will prove to be the worst first date of her life.
DROP takes place almost entirely in an upscale restaurant on the top floor of a downtown Chicago skyscraper where Henry has reserved a table for their date. When Violet receives some slightly off-putting but quickly escalating DigiDrops (an app similar to AirDrop), the setting offers a fresh take on a closed-room murder mystery. To DigiDrop to her phone, a user needs to be within 50 feet, meaning the perpetrator must be someone in the restaurant.
The suspects include the bartender (Gabrielle Ryan), a pitiful man on a blind date (Reed Diamond), a drunk piano player (Ed Weeks), and the waiter who is genuinely doing all he can to earn his tip tonight (played by the fabulous and hilarious Jeffery Self). Landon and his cinematographer, Marc Spicer, expertly utilize the “everyone’s a suspect” trope as we glide through the restaurant in beautiful long shots or follow Violet’s eyes as she searches for the culprit, with each suspect illuminated by the glow of their phone screens.
It’s a unique take on a technology thriller, employing everything from cloning Violet’s phone to restaurant security cameras and the cameras she keeps in her own home. However, the creative ideas don’t translate well to the screen. As Violet receives threatening texts from her unknown assailant, large white letters fill the screen, playing off the framing and surroundings, at one point even reflecting in a mirror. It’s evident that a lot of thought and effort went into displaying the texts, drops, and videos on screen in increasingly creative ways, but the result was not cohesive enough for me. Still, it’s a minor issue and an understandable one—technology on screen is notoriously cheesy and challenging to portray well.
Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar steal the show as relatable and lovable characters navigating their increasingly awkward first date. Fahy skillfully conveys emotion in understated ways that make her situation feel deeply personal to both her and the audience. Both Fahy and Sklenar draw you into their first date drama, making you feel as if you’ve been there, regardless of your dating history. Their realistic banter adds much-needed rawness to the characters, grounding the increasingly absurd third act in reality.
DROP is far from the most suspenseful or well-thought-out thriller you’ll see this year; it asks its audience to suspend belief on more than one occasion. Yet, the genuine characters, creatively depicted internal dilemmas, and genuinely hilarious dialogue and direction make for an enjoyable watch. Although its lack of truly suspenseful scenes may disappoint some hardcore viewers, DROP is sure to appeal to fans of Landon’s previous work and anyone seeking an enjoyable, hilarious romp through a closed-room mystery.
Drop arrives in theaters on April 11th
Image courtesy Universal.