Finding ways to address our addiction to cell phones has been a frustration of filmmakers for the past decade. While some directors have chosen to engage in period piece dramas before the world was connected by smart phones, others have tried to explore the ways these devices have fundamentally changed our behavior. Drop lands closer to the latter in terms of its storytelling. The new thriller, directed by Christopher Landon, lampoons our technology addiction while trying to tackle much heavier topics. The comedy works throughout Drop, but the cell phone gimmick runs its course early in the film. Unfortunately, that aspect drags down a crowd pleasing film in the process.
Drop plot and review
After suffering intense abuse at the hands of her husband, Violet (Meghann Fahy) attempts to reenter the dating pool. After months of talking with Henry (Brandon Sklenar) she finally decides to join him for dinner. However, as soon as she arrives, Violet’s phone begins getting receiving air drop-style messages from another patron at the bar. As the content of the drops becomes more threatening, Violet realizes that her actions will either save the life of her child, or kill the man sitting across the table.
Landon once again proves to have shockingly adept comedic chops for a director working in the thriller space. Not only does he rhythmically cut between shots to emphasize the humor, but he helps set up his actors to deliver the jokes to maximum effect. He layers the in-jokes early, before landing hilarious callbacks. Landon’s recent horror entries, including Happy Death Day and Freaky, have become modern hits thanks to their crowd pleasing nature. Drop lands its jokes brilliantly, and highlights Landon’s adept handling of these aspects of his stories.
Unlike his other efforts, Landon takes on a screenplay from writers Jillian Jacobs & Christopher Roach. This gives him more time to focus on the direction, and how to tackle the difficult task of making a one-room horror film feel cinematic. In this regard, Landon succeeds. Between choosing unique camera angles in reaction shots and some very stylish color shifts mid-scene, Landon displays some of his most unique visuals in his career.
Brandon Sklenar runs away with this movie. It literally enters the first shot wearing a half unbuttoned t-shirt and undershirt as if he walked off an Abercrombie Fashion shoot. He’s also charming, patient, and funny as a character, which further helps him wrap both arms around the movie. Sklenar also delivers plenty of great one-liners, helping to establish himself as hero, which makes the few moments he gets in the spotlight stand out even more.
However, there are moments that certainly make Drop a more frustrating experience. For one, Fahy does not bring the same charm in her role. More often than not, we feel like she’s waiting for her turn to act, rather engaging and reacting in the moment. She’s not given any favors with the premise, but even when she’s not locked into her phone, her focus seems strangely off. Sadly, we can feel the effort she’s putting into the role, but that’s not always a good thing.
The idea to use the phone as a driving force of the plot becomes a problem when she’s constantly checking her device. These moments are not cinematic, and undermine the better aspects of the screenplay. Drop tries to defuse the situation and acknowledge that she’s constantly checking her phone. However, it goes way too far in this pursuit. A good concept gets overshadowed by its inexplicable use and eventually causes the weight the gimmick to overshadow the dram in Drop.
Is Drop worth watching?
Drop tries its best to bring out a cool premise and extend it into a feature length film. However, you can feel Landon and his crew doing everything they can make a most-one location feature feel far grander than it is in actuality. Frustratingly, there are moments of brilliance throughout Drop, but not enough to keep it above water.
Watch Drop in theaters April 11, 2025. Universal Pictures and Blumhouse distribute.
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