"I have a special place in my heart for a movie that knows what it is, doesn’t mislead and delivers accordingly in a tight 90 minutes."
Imagine this: You're on a first date, the awkward small talk is flowing, and suddenly, your phone explodes with AirDropped memes demanding you kill your date, or your family dies. That's the chilling premise of Drop, a new thriller that plunges into the dark side of digital culture.
Drop taps into a primal fear familiar to anyone who's ever received an unsolicited image or felt the unease of digital intrusion. Writer/director Christopher Landon takes this premise and drills into it with "fresh and invigorating precision."
The film is elevated by two well-cast leads: Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar. Sklenar once again plays the nice, understanding guy, but this is Fahy's movie. She plays Violet, a therapist for survivors of domestic violence and a single mother, haunted by her past.
The film throws us into a potential flash-forward: a bloody and bruised Violet crawling away from her abusive late husband. Years later, Violet braves the dating scene, meeting Henry, a seemingly friendly photographer.
The date starts like any other – awkward, hopeful, and filled with the familiar dance of first impressions. Violet even swipes through Henry’s profile with her sister, Jen, showcasing the contrived blend of earnest and goofy we've all come to expect.
But the night takes a sinister turn when Violet's phone is barraged with hostile "DigiDrops" – AirDrops sharing files in chilling meme-speak. The devil emoji commands her to check her security cameras, revealing a masked intruder threatening her son's life unless she poisons Henry.
One of the great scourges of modern movies, as it will never not look cheap and silly.
Landon, known for Happy Death Day and Disturbia, keeps the tension high, even if a reliance on text-on-screen feels corny. Despite this, Drop balances the absurd with the grounded, delivering believable flirting and comic relief.
The film masterfully exploits our modern anxieties: the stomach drop of first-date anticipation mirroring the jump-scare of anonymous messages. Violet scans the room, seeing potential culprits in everyone glued to their screens. Every screen becomes a camera, every message traceable, leaving no place to hide.
Violet must play a deadly game: charm Henry while secretly plotting his demise, all while messaging the villain and searching for an escape. Fahy delivers an amazing performance, showcasing unseen depths reminiscent of her role in The White Lotus.
That Drop takes a few too ludicrous steps and still mostly sticks the landing is a testament to her command of the character.
Drop isn't perfect, but it delivers a crisp, stressful, and enjoyable experience. With just enough flourishes and a perfect match of star, script, and style, it's a date worth making for those who crave lean and limber thrillers.
Drop is screening at the SXSW film festival and is out in cinemas on 11 April.