Widowed psychiatrist Violet (Meghann Fahy, The White Lotus, Your Monster) was in an abusive relationship for years, which left her a bit paranoid and distrusting of men. However, she’s been messaging photojournalist Henry (Brandon Sklenar, 1923, It Ends With Us) for the past three months, and is finally ready to meet him for their first in-person date—her first date in general in several years. Jen (Violett Beane, The Flash, Truth or Dare) offers to babysit 5-year-old Toby (Jacob Robinson), so that her older sister will finally put herself out there again. And after her nerves almost cause to her back out, Violet arrives at the upscale, circular roof-top Chicago restaurant, Palate.
While waiting for Henry to arrive, Violet meets bartender Cara (Gabrielle Ryan, Power Book IV: Force), new piano player Phil (Ed Weeks, The Mindy Project), and fellow diners Connor (Travis Nelson, The Lake)—whom she bumps into—and Richard (Reed Diamond, White Collar, Homicide: Life on the Street), who’s waiting for his blind date Diane (Fiona Browne). When Henry arrives, he couldn’t be more charming and friendly, and the two hit it off immediately. However, Violet’s phone starts constantly buzzing with digiDROP requests. Henry explains that someone needs to be within 50 feet in order to send a drop, and tells her it is probably the table of prom kids having fun, so Violet tries to just ignore the messages. However, as her phone keeps buzzing, the message get more serious, and she soon discovers that whomever is behind these requests has a masked man with a gun in her home. If she doesn’t follow their instructions, or if she tries to tell anyone what is going on, calls the police, or tries to leave the restaurant, they will kill her son and sister.
When Violet was with her abusive husband, she got good at pretending that everything was okay, and now she once again has to do the same. As the requests come in, she tries to stall as she attempts to figure out which person in the restaurant is behind the messages. Could it be the bartender, the piano player, the other diners she met, the hostess (Sarah McCormack), their server/aspiring improv actor Matt (Jeffery Self, Search Party, Spoiler Alert) who’s on his first day on the job, or maybe it’s even Henry. Though when the request comes in that she poison her date, that seems unlikely. The person behind the messages grows increasingly impatient with Violet and her stalling tactics, and demonstrates that their threats are not idle. As Violet grows increasingly wary and erratic, Henry starts to get a little suspicious that something is going on. Can Violet figure out who is behind this, stop them, and save her family and date, before it’s too late, or she’s forced to carry through with killing the first man she’s found a connection with in years?!
Drop comes from producers Blumhouse (M3GAN) & Platinum Dunes (A Quiet Place), and director Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day franchise, Heart Eyes). It is a taut and exciting Hitchcockian thriller. The filmmakers do an excellent job of making all of the characters seem a little guilty and like a possible suspect, keeping the mystery of who is really in contact with Violet. In this day and age, everyone is constantly glued to their phones, so when Violet looks around the room, there is no clear indicator as to who may be the guilty party texting her. The film is primarily set a single location, with the mysterious villain constantly watching Violet from within 50 feet away, which adds to the feeling of claustrophobia, tension and suspense. The restaurant set is beautiful and well-designed to keep things interesting while still saying in one location. There is the changing view of the city in the background, and gold bars throughout to add to this caged feeling of the characters.
The viewer is generally experiencing things from Violet’s perspective. She finally let her guard down to go on this date and try to trust someone again, but now she finds herself in yet another situation where she’s being told what to do and controlled by some mysterious puppet master. She must grin while she plays along with the game as she tries to figure a way out.
The chemistry between stars Meghann Fahy & Brandon Sklenar is instant, natural and delightful. It is easy to see that Violet & Henry have really gotten to know one another over the past three months of texting, even though this is their first in-person date. They know a lot about one another and care for one another. There is this effortlessness that doesn’t even feel like a first date. If this was just your typical first date, the guy would have been out of there immediately if the woman was constantly distracted by her phone. However, Henry is aware of Violet’s past, and her devotion to her son, so he believes this is just a matter of a concerned and loving mother being apart from her son for the first time, just checking in on things.
The film is creatively shot. While it starts off with more traditional coverage, as the tension starts to ramp up, we get a lot more odd angles and quick cuts. And instead of constantly showing us Violet’s phone screen, the instructions from the villain appear as stylized text on the screen, which help to build up the excitement and tension. The film also injects a lot of humor to release the tension. Some of this comes from smarmy piano player Phil, but especially from the obnoxious and overly-extra server Matt. I was constantly laughing at his antics and talkative nature, and Violet and Henry’s very-relatable reactions to him.
Drop is primarily a psychological thriller, with the villain playing these mind games with Violet, and her and the viewer trying to figure out who is behind all of this. But in the final act, things get much more action-packed and visceral as the final showdown with the villain plays out.
Universal has released Drop on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital. We were sent the 4K release for review, and it looks and sounds fantastic. The picture is clean and clear throughout, with an excellent level of detail. Some of the flashbacks to Violet and her husband appear a bit darker on the 4K disc versus the Blu-ray presentation, but you can still make out what’s going on. The audio track makes excellent use of the stereo and surround channels to provide a fully-immersive experience, making you feel like you are in that restaurant with all of the chatter in every direction, while still making sure that dialogue remains clear, and that Bear McCrear’s tense score is showcased.
This disc release contains a small but solid selection of bonus material, including an entertaining and informative director commentary track and about 15 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast/crew. The 4K release includes both a 4K and a Blu-ray disc, packed on either side of a standard UHD keepcase, along with a cardboard slipcover, and redemption instructions for a 4K digital copy of the film.
What’s Included:
Film: (1:35:26)
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4K Ultra HD:
- 2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1
- Dolby Vision / HDR10
- Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
- Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
- 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
- Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
- 4K Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)
Blu-ray:
Digital (code may not be valid after 6/30/2026):
Extras:
Al of the same material is avilable on both discs. Play All, or select from:
- A Recipe for Thrills: Making Drop (6:43)
The cast and crew discuss the film’s plot and tone, keeping all of the characters suspicious for the audience, designing the shots with space for the on-screen text in mind, playing with angles and lenses as things amp up and Violet starts to lose her mind, the phycological and physical violence, the stunts, composing the final sequence, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Christopher Landon, director of photography Marc Spicer, stunt coordinator Brendan Condren, and stars Meghann Fahy (“Violet”) & Brandon Sklenar (“Henry”). - A Palate for Panic (4:32)
The cast and crew discuss the design and look of the film’s restaurant, which also served as a working restaurant with both real and fake food. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Christopher Landon, production designer Susie Culen, director of photography Marc Spicer, food stylist Steven Levine, and stars Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Gabrielle Ryan (“Cara”) & Jeffery Self (“Matt”). - Killer Chemistry (3:36)
The cast and crew discuss the relationship between Violet and Henry, the performances, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Christopher Landon and stars Brandon Sklenar, Meghann Fahy & Ed Weeks (“Phil”). - Feature Commentary With Director Christopher Landon (1:35:26)
Director Christopher Landon provides an interesting and informative commentary throughout the film, sharing behind-the-scenes stories about the production, talking about the filming locations, sets, cast, using real memes, the on-screen text, and more. Some of this is a bit repetitive to what is said in the featurettes.
Final Thoughts:
Drop is an entertaining and tense Hitchcockian thriller/mystery with a modern technology twist. The filmmakers do an excellent job of keeping the mystery and suspense as things play out, however, I still enjoyed the movie just as much re-watching the second time knowing how things turn out. The 4K presentation looks and sounds great, and the discs include a small but solid selection of bonus material. Certainly worth checking out for those looking for an entertaining and unique thriller.
