Movie Review: 'Drop'

It’s about time. After the death by suicide of her abusive husband, Violet Gates (Meghann Fahy) is finally going out on a date arranged on a dating app. As a widow, her only happiness is working at an “abused victim hotline” and caring for her young son. But now it’s time for a change.

Her sister arrives to babysit her nephew and help Violet prepare for her date. Finally selecting a suitable outfit for her rendezvous in an elegant high-rise restaurant in downtown Chicago, she’s good to go.

Shortly after arriving, she receives a text from her date, Henry Campbell (Brandon Sklenar), saying he will be a tad late. Still slightly nervous, Violet decides to calm herself with a drink at the bar. She chats with the friendly bartender, the pianist and two other dinner guests, one also on a blind date. While sipping her drink, she starts receiving texts and memes from an unknown person. Coming from no one she knows, she simply ignores them. Finally, Henry arrives.

They are seated at a table next to a floor-to-ceiling window with spectacular views of other glittering high-rises. As their waiter arrives to take their orders, so does another text on Violet’s mobile phone. This one is a little more threatening.

Confused and puzzled by these texts, she shows her phone to Henry, asking for his thoughts. He decides they must be coming from someone seated near them and sets out to investigate. He finds nothing as the restaurant is full of security cameras. She finally receives one telling her to check her home security system.

On her home cameras Violet sees a masked gunman beat her sister unconscious, toss her son into his room and lock the door. She is told not to mention this to anyone in the restaurant or try to leave.

More instructions and threats follow, causing Henry to question his reason for remaining in her jittery distracted company. He stands and threatens to leave. That can’t happen because Violet is directed to retrieve something from his briefcase.

The only thing she can quickly think of to keep him at the table is to kiss him. She also decides to reveal her life prior to the death of her cruel husband. The evening progresses and their meal is served. Things get worse.

Violet is next instructed to visit the bathroom to retrieve a vial of poison hidden in the towel dispenser and pour the contents into Henry’s drink. Fearing for her family, she excuses herself and heads for the bathroom.

Violet returns to the table clutching the deadly poison in her shaky hand. What to do she thinks. Her family is threatened if she doesn’t comply with demands from the mystery texter. On the other hand, her date seems like a nice person and she’s not a murderer.

In an attempt to make the setting a bit lighter, she suggests they celebrate with shots. The barmaid pours them and Violet brings them to the table, setting one in front of Henry. Slyly, she raises the vile and moves it toward the shots.

Directed by Christopher Landon (Credits: We Have a Ghost, Freaky), “Drop” runs 95 minutes and is a “must see” for a creative whodunnit thriller beautifully presented and well-acted by an excellent cast.