Drop – Film Review
Reviewed by Harris Dang on the 17th of April 2025
Universal presents a film by Christopher Landon
Written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach
Produced by Michael Bay, Jason Blum, Brad Fuller, Cameron Fuller, and Sam Lerner
Starring Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, and Jeffery Self
Cinematography Marc Spicer
Edited by Ben Baudhuin
Music by Bear McCreary
Rating: MA15+
Running Time: 95 minutes
Release Date: the 17th of April 2025
Drop tells the story of Violet Gates (Meghann Fahy), a widowed mother who has taken a huge step toward to normalising her life by returning to the dating game. After a traumatic experience involving her late abusive husband’s suicide, she has occupied herself with her career and taking care of her son Toby. Through the long support and insistence of her sister, Jen (Violett Beane), Violet builds the courage to get back into dating while Jen babysits Toby.
The meet-up is in a high-rise fancy restaurant Palate where she is about to date photographer Henry Campbell (Brandon Sklenar). The two get along swimmingly as they both have anxieties about returning to dating. However, something keeps interrupting them. A series of drop notifications involving memes continually appear on Violet’s phone, which Henry insists is a humorous prank someone in the restaurant is enacting. However, the notifications turn sinister as the unseen mastermind forces Violet to do something or else her Jen and Toby will die. Will Violet acquiesce to their request, or will she find the perpetrator and deliver the drop on them?
Drop is the latest film from Christopher Landon, who is best known for his efforts in horror cinema, particularly horror comedies. With the Happy Death Day films, Freaky (2020), and most recently Heart Eyes (2025), his writing and filmmaking efforts have certainly made their mark with both critics and audiences. After his planned venture into the Scream franchise halted, he created Drop, a single-location thriller that homages the works of Alfred Hitchcock and Brian De Palma while proving that Landon has more in his filmmaking repertoire than frivolous horror comedies.
Landon keeps the frivolity of his prior films to a strict (for the most part) minimum. He keeps the mirth restricted to the amusing character interplay between Fahy and Sklenar and a wonderful supporting turn by Jeffery Self, as an enthusiastic waiter/working actor. Landon times it in the right moments where it eases the tension whilst keeping the film fun and energetic. Self adroitly keeps the laughs coming as his character makes fun of the thriller situation as well as the romantic scenario.
Speaking of romantic, Fahy and Sklenar lend heart and intimacy to their roles and the romance of the story. Having their characters relatable, sympathetic, and yet human enough to believe in their flaws makes the tension palpable and effective. Including social anxiety in the case of the two leads alongside the suspense and thriller aspects is a smart move on Landon’s part. Fahy must display multiple facades to hide her true conflict, and she conveys all of them convincingly, with a tinge of pathos through it all. Sklenar plays the character of Henry so lowkey and accommodating it makes it hard to gauge whether he is as romantic and charming as we think he is or if he is the culprit. It makes the tension even more powerful as the romance becomes more questionable.
What is truly questionable is Landon’s directorial style. The visual style and use of spatial geography is enjoyably operatic, particularly when he conveys the mindset of Violet and her crippling turmoil. Having Violet being an abuse survivor informs her characterisation and the use of composition and editing choices and supporting character interactions sell it very well. However, the overstatement in the filmmaking leaves little to the imagination, making some of the thriller elements laughable and even exploitative.
It is understandable that for these types of thrillers, the third act would ultimately drop any sense of subtlety as contrivances and character decisions become heightened and silly, complete with a villain reveal that errs on the side of farce. Some of the ill-timed humour that dissipates the tension in the wrong moments also makes the violent lashings feel jarring. Lastly, the huge text overlays that are peppered throughout the feature lack true menace and a true tangible threat behind it. Like the song says in the Christmas horror comedy musical Anna and the Apocalypse (2017), it needs a human voice.
Overall, Drop is a good change of pace for Landon as he capably stretches his directorial muscles from horror comedies to high-concept thrillers. It also benefits from compelling and fun turns from Fahy, Sklenar, and Self.
Summary: Drop is a good change of pace for Landon as he capably stretches his directorial muscles from horror comedies to high-concept thrillers. It also benefits from compelling and fun turns from Fahy, Sklenar, and Self.
3
Enjoyable
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