Drop Parent Guide

After a violent end to her marriage, it’s taken a lot for Violet (Meghann Fahy) to overcome her reservations about dating. With a helpful shove out the door from her sister Jen (Violett Beane), who’s also babysitting her son Toby (Jacob Robinson), Violet finds herself in a ritzy high-rise restaurant with Henry (Brandon Sklenar), a kind photographer who’s very understanding of Violet’s reluctance to re-enter the dating pool.

Just as they sit down at the table, Violet gets a weird AirDrop to her phone from a stranger. And then another. And another. They’re mostly vague threats – until they tell her to check her home security cameras. Jen and Toby are fine – for now. But there’s an armed man in the house, and if Violet doesn’t follow the instructions soon to be dropped to her phone, Jen and Toby will be in danger.

I had more fun with Drop than I expected. The premise is simple, the pacing is tight, and the performances are great. Despite the commanding skyline view from the restaurant, the film is mostly a story in a bottle, which forces the action to come from actual plot developments instead of just a change in scenery. The leads, Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar, are on the hook for most of the storytelling, and they do a lovely job.

The film snuck in at a PG-13 rating, and as such the profanity and sexual content are very limited, and substance use is confined to people having a few drinks with dinner. The real issue here is violence, which includes some very ugly scenes of domestic abuse, as well as the usual thriller highlights – some stabbing, shooting, and vertiginous falls.

I’m always pleasantly surprised when Blumhouse puts out a movie that doesn’t make me want to lie down in the parking lot and wait for a truck. Drop sticks to the conventions of the thriller genre, and does it well, without wasting your time. It may not be a great choice for the kids, but older teens and adults should have a good time with this competent by-the-numbers thriller.