Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tense thriller has threats, violence toward women.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Drop
What's the Story?
In DROP, Violet (Meghann Fahy), a widow with a young son, Toby (Jacob Robinson), goes on a date for the first time in years. She shows up at Palate, a fine dining establishment, and nervously waits for Henry (Brandon Sklenar) while ordering a glass of wine at the bar. Henry—a professional photographer—arrives, and the date begins, but Violet keeps getting digiDROP messages on her phone. When she finally answers, she discovers that a masked gunman is in her home, threatening both Toby and Violet's sister, Jen (Violett Beane). She can't tell anyone what's happening, and she's being watched. She's ordered to destroy the SD card in Henry's camera, which she does. Unfortunately her next task is to kill Henry by pouring a vial of poison in his drink. But Violet isn't willing to give up easily, and she has a few tricks of her own to try.
Is It Any Good?
Making the most of its single-location setting, this tightly constructed, neatly crafted thriller feels—despite its use of modern technology and surveillance—refreshingly old-fashioned. With Drop, filmmaker Christopher Landon has upped his game from previous comical slasher movies (Happy Death Day, Freaky), offering a more sophisticated tale that has some viewers using the term "Hitchcockian." To be honest, it has more in common with 1990s and early 2000s thrillers like Speed, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Phone Booth, Collateral, and Red Eye than it does with Hitchcock, but that's also a compliment.
Drop also has the bonus of a female main character who gets to use her brain to try to wiggle out of a seemingly unwinnable situation. Sadly, the story still has her needing rescue a couple of times, and there's a mean streak that comes out in scenes of women being slammed around by male villains. But there are also positive discussions about women surviving abusive relationships. All the while, Landon seems in complete control, displaying the tech aspects of the story in visual ways, finding all the right angles, the right editing, the right sound design, the right music, all of it. Drop is a tense, fun ride, although perhaps not the best choice for a first date.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Drop's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How does the movie address the topic of domestic abuse? What conclusions are drawn? How can survivors seek help?
Do women have agency in this movie? How is that agency affected by plot developments that require rescue by a man?
How is drinking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 11, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : April 29, 2025
- Cast : Meghann Fahy , Brandon Sklenar , Violett Beane
- Director : Christopher Landon
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violent content, suicide, some strong language and sexual references
- Last updated : July 16, 2025
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