DROP

US, 2025, 95 minutes, Colour.

Meaghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabriele Ryan, Jeffery Self.

Directed by Christopher Landon.

Drop is a brief title for a brief, 90 minutes, mystery thriller. In 2024, M. Night Shyamalan had success with a brief title, Trap, tension and suspense in one location. And that is the case with Drop, quite a complex plot, devised by writer-director, Christopher Landon (very successful with the Paranormal Activity series and the two Happy Death Day thrillers).

The film opens with a violent prologue, an abusive husband confront his wife, his death. And then it emerges that the wife is a psychologist, interviewing clients, years passing and almost over the trauma of her husband’s death. She has a young son, entrusts him to her sister as she goes out for a date, a man she had been texting, a rendezvous at an exclusive Chicago restaurant, situated on very high storey (the location for a climactic vertigo-like situation).

Most of the action takes place at the restaurant, Violet, Meaghann Fahey, waiting for her date, in the meantime, some very good cameos to create the atmosphere, from the restaurant’s pianist, the hostess,  an oddball waiter on his first job, a lonely older man at the bar waiting for a blind date. Then her date, a photographer, Henry Campbell, Brandon Sklenar, arrives. So far, so ordinary. But, then the drops, DigiDrops, appear on Violet’s phone, increasingly sinister, increasingly mysterious, certainly disturbing for Violet and, audience empathising, disturbing for the audience as well.

A reviewer has to resist the temptation of elaborating on plot details. No spoilers. Suffice to say for review that there are quite a lot of twists, the realisation that the drops are originating in the restaurant itself, that there is surveillance going on, that not only is Violet being targeted, but also her date.

There will be a final revelation, the identity of who is sending the drops, the complex motivation in Violet’s response, using her wits to turn the tables. That vertigo -like climax.

And there is further drama with the discovery of masked gunmen at Violet’s home, threatening her sister and son, a second dramatic climax.

Whether this is realistic or not, whether the plot entirely make sense, is not the point. It is the immersing of the audience in this 90 minutes of tension.

1. Drop, the tag for the communications, the impact on Violet? The momentum of the drama?
2. The opening in the mood, the violence, women targeted, Violet and her fear, her husband and his viciousness, the baby? Setting the tone? The later reprisal of the scene, Violet blamed for killing her husband, his taunts, his killing himself?
3. Violet and her work as a counsellor, her client, the techniques, the importance of self-image and confidence? For Violet herself?
4. Her sister, encouraging her, the scenes with Toby, the toy truck (and its being crucial to the climax)? Jen and her comments on Violet’s dresses and make up? Violet and the correspondence with Henry over the months?
5. The glimpse of Chicago at night, the buildings, the lights? The restaurant, the clientele, the bar, her nervousness, having the drink, the encounter with Richard, his age, smiles, nervous, his date and her arrival? Henry arriving? The table, the meeting, the hopes for the date?
6. The Drop experience, the messages on the phone, and her concern about Toby? The messages coming through, her reaction, showing Henry, taking the issue lightly? The continued messages, the technique of displaying them right across the screen rather than close-ups of the phone?
7. The pressure on Violet, her fears, the threats to Toby and Jen, Violet and growing anxiety, the change of table, going to the restroom? The issue of spiking the drink? Her being watched? The technology and its having to come from within the restaurant? Cara and her friendliness at the bar, conversation, support, the issue of the drinks, violet surreptitious with the poison? Getting the drinks, Henry going to the bar? His drinking?
8. Violet and her looking at the suspects, sinister-looking men, then their dates arriving, the pianist, the comic interludes with the earnest waiter? The tension?
9. Richard, his date leaving, his smiles, his approaching Violet, the revelation of the truth, Henry as a star witness, the target for killing? Richard and his taunting of Violet? The phone, the killer, the camera in the home?
10. Violet turning the tables, talking with Richard, his dessert, her poisoning him? The gun, the anxiety of the guests, the struggle, the shooting of the window, the draft dragging him out, his death? Dragging Violet out the window, Henry pulling her in?
11. The violence, Henry being wounded, Cara being wounded? Violet leaving, the desperate drive in the car, the traffic, in the house, the killer, masked, the threats, Jen and her tactics, being shot? The risk to Toby? Violet in the house, the confrontations, the violence, the toy truck and the gun, Violet shooting?
12. The visit to the hospital, Jen and hospital care, and the bonding with Henry?