It’s not always about the destination we take with these things but the ride we go on to get to there in first place.

While there’s no denying that much of Drop plays like absurdist dinner theatre on steroids, it’s kind of why it works because the film leans into its more stylized beats to remind us that we’re just here to have fun and no one is ACTUALLY going to die.

Violet (Meghann Fahy) is a widowed mother who goes to an upscale restaurant to meet Henry (Brandon Sklenar), her charming and handsome date. However, her pleasant evening soon turns into a living nightmare when she receives phone messages from a mysterious, hooded figure who threatens to kill her young son and sister unless she kills Henry.

Please don’t make a mistake thinking that this is a movie about substance because other than cautionary tale of society and how we all spend WAY too much time on our phones, there really isn’t any in this film, but Drop is dripping with hyper-stylized beats that rope us in to it all looking into this cracked fish hole lens look at the eternal struggle of “getting back out there”.

Director Christopher Landon is actually building himself a pretty solid resume of knowing how to make that short yet easy connection between comedy and horror.  It’s not easy to make something this is intense and off putting but also awkward and funny at the same time but he makes it look easy and as much we love the production design and set pieces inside this rooftop restaurant from a visual standpoint this all actually works exceptionally well because Landon actually gives his actors room to work.  They sell not only the tension but also the exaggerated preposterous nature of the dreaded first date that this film blends so well into the genuine horror elements of the tension in the narrative.

Though many audiences may know her from the TV Shows; One Life To Live or The Bold Type it’s likely that most viewers know Meghann Fahy from the second season of The White Lotus and how here in Drop she graduates from some to watch to genuine star.

She plays this part perfectly, finding the balance between empowered and frazzled not knowing who is really the bad guy and which way is up as she navigates the landmines that are placed all around her.  Brandon Sklenar also does good work here as the nice guy on the blind date who seems like he is too good to be true, which only adds to the self-doubt that Violet feels as she gets manipulated more and more by our villain and his whims.

Ultimately, Drop manages to be one of those genre defying pieces that you can’t help but get wrapped up in and it serves as such a great gateway for people who want a little more horror in their lives but ultimately want to have some fun with it at the same time.   This is really quality popcorn grade entertainment that isn’t afraid to take its rollercoaster ride for a lap through the funhouse mirrors to make us appreciate the entertainment in the “moment” that a movie like this provides in spades.