First dates are intimidating - to most people - not to mention in this modern world where we meet the people we want to date online, we’re going into everything mostly blind. Not to mention, we not only meet people we want to date through the screens of our phones, but we also put so much of our personal information out there, who knows what kind of hands that it falls into. Christopher Landon’s Drop meditates on this idea where Violet is caught in a wild ultimatum during her first date with Henry. As she’s having dinner with Henry, an anonymous instigator continuously drops messages to her phone that she either kills her date, or her family will be killed.

 

Already, a simple and sweet setup and premise, however, Drop has more to offer up its sleeve. What starts a nice romance thriller, evolves into something with a much bigger picture. It’s a romance thriller about navigating the modern dating world while navigating trauma, but it’s also an espionage thriller with thorough contemplations about how our technological landscape has warped the meaning of privacy, and what it means to have moments that are truly ours to keep to ourselves, and not send to a screen. It’s not always perfect; the discussions on trauma and abuse feel a little treaded and rote here. Almost like it’s hitting very similar themes from Whannel’s The Invisible Man.  So, it’s espionage aspects are much more compelling here.

The real strength of the film is its co-leads Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar who each give incredibly strong performances. The script allows both to bounce off each other in charming ways, however Landon’s directing of the set piece is just the whole reason this works out, and may be his strongest directing feat yet. It feels almost like “dinner theater” watching how this whole night plays out for the two. There are some odd choices here. There’s some weird and distracting visual effects regarding the airdrops she gets on her phone, but there are also genuinely exciting and bold formal choices that were very fun to watch. Drop doesn’t quite get everything right, but it does get everything that matters at least. It’s exciting, thrilling, funny, and, yes, it is quite romantic at times as well.