Drop

Directed by Christopher Landon, Drop follows Meghann Fahy’s Violet as she receives a series of increasingly sinister messages during a first date (with Brandon Sklenar’s Henry). It’s a high-concept premise that is, for the most part, employed to fast-paced and entertaining effect by Landon, as the filmmaker, armed with Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach’s script, does a terrific job of perpetuating the picture’s watchable vibe by emphasizing strong performances and a series of admittedly unpredictable twists – with, in terms of the latter, the appealing romcom-like opening stretch eventually giving way to a thriller-forward midsection and second half. And while the movie’s glossy and thoroughly slick atmosphere prevents it from becoming as consistently gripping as Landon has surely intended, Drop, anchored by Fahy’s terrific central turn, builds towards a satisfying, larger-than-life third act that confirms its place as a predominantly engaging genre effort.

*** out of ****