DROP

DROP is a crowd-pleasing thriller about a nasty anonymous phone caller who threatens a widow’s young son and sister if she doesn’t kill the man with whom she’s dining at a fancy rooftop restaurant on their first date. DROP is a suspense-filled game of wits with a terrific though violent ending where the heroine must stop a masked man trying to kill her young son, and outwit a vicious mastermind, but the movie has some foul language, which includes a strong profanity and several strong obscenities.

Based loosely on a real-life experience, the movie opens with the widow’s troubled husband threatening her and their infant son with a gun. The scene cuts to a few years later. The boy, Toby, is now 5, and Violet is about to go on her first date with Henry, a photographer who works for the mayor. Violet’s sister, Jen, arrives to babysit Toby and helps Violet choose a better dress to wear.

Violet takes an Uber to the restaurant, a fancy rooftop joint with windows looking out on the city. Henry texts her that he’s running 10 minutes late. So, Violet sits at the bar and orders a glass a red wine. While she waits, she meets several customers and the hostess tending bar, Cara.

Henry finally arrives, and they’re seated by one of the windows. Henry brings his fancy camera with him, so it won’t get stolen. Both Violent and Henry are nervous, because it’s a first date. However, Violet starts becoming more nervous when she starts getting mysterious, mean texts and memes via some new fictional app called “Digidrop.”

Henry and Violet are sure that the texts are a prank. However, the texts turn violent when the anonymous texter shows Violet that a masked man with a gun is stalking her son and her sister in her apartment. The man texting Violet orders her to do everything he says, or he will have the masked man kill her son, then her sister.

The first order the texter gives Violet is to steal the memory card from for Henry’s camera, take it to the restroom, destroy it, and flush it down the toilet. She texts the man how she’s going to do that, and he texts back, “I don’t care. Figure it out.”

Violet manages to figure it out while sending Henry to ask the hostess, Cara, a question. The next order from the stranger on the phone, however, turns out to be a real doozy. He orders Violent to kill Henry by retrieving a small bottle of poison he’s hidden in the ladies’ room.

Of course, killing Henry is the last thing Violent wants to do. However, the phone villain has hidden cameras around their table and in the ladies’ restroom, so he’s watching her every move. Violet figures out he must be one of the men in the restaurant. So, she looks for the men who seem to be on their phone a lot.

Finding the man and stopping the masked killer in her apartment seem to be impossible tasks. Especially when Henry, their waiter and the hostess start to think Violet is out of her mind.

DROP has plenty of suspense to spare. It’s a great plot with many chances for exciting twists and turns. The ending is one of the most exciting endings a thriller could have. Moviegoers looking for a great thrill ride won’t be disappointed.

That said, the ending has lots of scary violence, first with the man behind the plot to kill Henry and then with the masked killer threatening Violet’s son and sister. The resolution to both those situations is terrific, however. Even better, the resolutions involve stopping evil killers and saving lives, plus a mother saving her child from dark forces. A parent saving a child from dark sinister forces is a classic plot going back a long way. It’s a plot that can result in great entertainment, especially if the hero or heroine are likeable and capable of great deeds when the chips are down.

DROP also has some foul language, however, including a strong profanity, one “f” word and several “s” words. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children and teenagers.