Drop - Tödliches Date

The first half of the movie is alright. It builds up a bit of a mystery and it's fun to work through possible answers. I sat there in the theater thinking who might have done what, in what order, and to what end, and I enjoy this sort of thing. It's suspenseful when the main character is put in a stressful situation and you can see her try to work through it at the same as you. But then, when things finally start to get resolved... my reaction was something like the guy in that "Son, I am disappoint" meme. To say the script has plot holes is an understatement. It's utterly nonsensical. All you can do is laugh. At the script and at yourself, for thinking this was a case for the Lone Gunmen, when in fact it had been an episode of Scooby Doo all along.

Bad day; first I sat through this tripe then I realised I was in agreement with a UK film critic. It really is poor, especially the first 75 minutes in which we're meant to feel tension but can't partly because the two main actors can't deliver any but also because the script is mediocre at best. There follows a better but not great 15-minutes when the pace is upped somewhat and the miscreant is identified, bringing some form of tension but sadly it descends into farce for the ending. Can't anyone in Hollywood shoot straight? Not that it matters because apparently a woman can be picked up one-handed by a guy with a knife on his shoulder. On the plus side, I enjoyed my nachos and sauces more than they enjoyed their meal.

We saw this as a Regal Monday Mystery Movie. So went in there not knowing what we were going to see. We were a little nervous once we found out the title as we do not typically like anything that is too stressful. But we stuck it out and we are glad we did.

I had seen Meghann Fahy in White Lotus and The Perfect Couple. I was not familiar with Brandon Sklenar but he was very likeable in this role.

The movie was fun, entertaining and suspenseful. It kept us guessing right up to the bad guy reveal.

Was it award winning material? No. But it was fun for a date night and we definitely are glad we stayed.

I wouldn't say to Drop everything to see this, but if you're feeling nostalgia for the 90s Suspense-Action popcorn flicks, this is for you.

Definitely reminded me of an old favorite of mine, Nick of Time, starring Johnny Depp/Christopher Walken from 1995. Both movies put innocent people in extraordinary circumstances to save their loved ones. So, if you even remember that low-key (for Depp) thriller, and liked it, this would make a great double-feature.

First dates are killer. A recently widowed mother agrees to a first date with a gorgeous hunk of a man. Unfortunately, things go sideways when she receives instructions on her phone from someone nearby, in the restaurant...and her date, her son and her chances of a second date might be in grave trouble.

It's not perfect, by any means. I should've known who was sending the messages from the get-go, and you might figure it out immediately. Yeah, yeah, I didn't think too hard and everyone's a red herring. I just laid back and left my brain at the door to have fun.

And it was suspenseful to see how she'd save her son (who's being watched over by a goon at her home,) her date (whose life is in her hands) and how she'd escape this terrible mess she's been targeted for. And when the heat does kick up in the last 15 minutes, it is a ton of fun.

Not an award-winner and hardly original at all. Still, I had a good time. Some of the artsy camera work was cool, but honestly it was so little of it, I'm not sure why they chose to experiment for just about 20 seconds of film in different scenes.

If you do like Nick of Time, Red Eye, Don't Say a Word, I guess the original Saw, and any others where someone's kidnapped/held hostage so someone can be the unwilling assassin, this is yet another one. And recommended.

***

Final Thoughts: I've heard about this "Screen Unseen" thing movie theatres are doing whereas you buy a ticket for a movie that hasn't been released yet and all you know is the length and rating. I got my first email for one and had to attempt fate...at what they chose for me. Dear Lord, I was afraid it'd be a melodrama or family-friendly Romcom. I *HAD* hoped this would've been The Amateur or even, Mission: Impossible 7b, but, I'm fine with Drop. I saw the trailers, liked what I saw and did eventually want to see this. That said, the trailers pretty much give away everything...so I would avoid those if you wish to go in cold.

Although admittedly fairly forgettable, 'Drop (2025)' is a really solid thriller that benefits from a lack of self-awareness and a stylistic execution. Set mostly in a single location, the narrative mixes the anxiety of a first date with the horror of a hostage situation (the former can often feel like the latter, am I right?). Having the lead character be a survivor of domestic abuse adds another layer of cruelty to the lack of control she has over her situation, while also allowing for catharsis if she's able to work through her trauma and emerge victorious. The theme is dealt with gently but directly, never feeling exploitative because it ultimately seems like an attempt at healing rather than a cheap way to increase the suspense of the central situation. Said situation is undeniably silly, but the film treats it with enough sincerity that you don't feel strange about doing the same. It has comedic moments, some of which are genuinely funny, but its humour never undercuts its narrative. It never feels embarrassed of itself, never feels the need to crack wise to let us know it knows it's actually rather absurd. It remains tense and engaging for its relatively brisk duration, even if it does feel like it spins its wheels a bit in its midsection. Christopher Landon directs the heck out of it, playing with focus and lighting to convey stress and hopelessness, using controlled but chaotic camerawork to compound violence, and splashing text across the screen to make its virtual elements feel as real as everything else that threatens to tear its protagonist's world apart. Add to that a delightfully classic yet pulpy score from Bear McCreary, and you get an atmospheric and absorbing little thriller that keeps you hooked for its duration. Its characters are well-rounded, portrayed by charismatic actors who all understand the assignment, and its plot escalates in a satisfying way. It's tightly written, with a couple of crowd-pleasing one-liners and an escalating sense of suspense, and confidently crafted, with crisp cinematography and convincing set design. It isn't the sort of thing that sticks with you for too long, but it does exactly what it needs to and keeps you on the edge of your seat for its majority. It's an enjoyable experience that does quite a lot with quite a little. It's pretty darn good.