Drop (MA) - 95 minutes

An entertaining psychological thriller, Drop involves menacing trolling in the most unlikely of circumstances.

Violet (Meghann Fahy) is a widow and psychologist with a five-year-old son, Toby (Jacob Robinson).

She is still traumatised by the domestic violence she experienced, to which Toby was privy.

Since her husband died, she hasn’t been on a date, but over the past three months she has been speaking to a photographer and now they have agreed to meet.

Violet is clearly nervous.

Her sister, Jen (Violett Beane), comes over to babysit Toby and Violet heads to a swish, high rise, fine dining Chicago restaurant with killer views.

Thirty-two-year-old Henry (Brandon Sklenar) has been the mayor’s photographer for the past five years and the former seems like a good guy.

After contacting Violet to say that he will be a few minutes late and asking her to wait at the bar, she receives a mysterious message from someone she doesn’t know.

Once Henry shows and they sit down at their table by the window, she gets bombarded by more messages, known as “drops”.

They include threatening the life of her son if she doesn’t adhere to the texter’s demands.

At first, Violet shows her date that she is receiving unwanted online attention and he dismisses it as a prank.

But once the texter tells her to keep her mouth shut or else, she tries to navigate the date, while doing what this stranger wants her to do.

The texter appears to be tracking her every move and listening to everything she is saying.

It is quickly established that the drops she is receiving are coming from within the confines of the restaurant, but she can’t put her finger on who the perpetrator is.

The texter doesn’t just have an axe to grind with Violet, but with Henry too.

There is desperation and tension, as the situation goes from bad to worse.

So, who is the texter, what are they after and why?

That becomes clear as the plot develops.

Drop is a high stakes cat and house game, with all in the restaurant – patrons and staff – under suspicion.

Among them is an older man on a blind date, named Richard (Reed Diamond) who Violet meets at the bar, and charming bar worker Cara (Gabrielle Ryan).

Matt (Jeffrey Self) is an awkward, oversharing waiter, on his first day on the job and Lindy (Sarah McCormack) is his boss, the restaurant’s host.

Phil (Ed Weeks) is the not backward in coming forward piano player, while Connor (Travis Nelson) is a fellow diner Violet repeatedly keeps bumping into.

Meanwhile, the texts accompanying the drops, which help ratchet up the intrigue, are writ large (literally) on the screen.

The conceit for the movie was inspired by real life, when one of the producers and his friend fell victim to a series of drops while on holidays with family overseas.

Their experience translated into a script from Jillian Jacobs and Christopher Roach.

I appreciate the guessing game they have created. Due to the inherent danger, it is edge of your seat stuff.

Like with many films of this genre, it pushes the envelope. To fully enjoy it, you would be well served to suspend belief, especially as Drop reaches its conclusion.

Speaking of that, in terms of the action, the final scene in the restaurant is certainly memorable.

Director Christopher Landon does a good job working with the incendiary material at his disposal. He is the one ultimately responsible for tightening the strings.

The idea is that Violet seems destined to run into a dead end every time she tries to find a way out of her invidious predicament.

I thought the gorgeous restaurant setting with sparkling nighttime views was the perfect backdrop.

And then we have the acting talent, led by Meghann Fahy. I really like what she had to offer. She plays vulnerable and on edge well.

Brandon Sklenar is the calm voice of reason as Henry, who is taken on a roller coaster ride by a woman he likes, but becomes unsure about.

Violett Beane gives a spirited performance as sister Jen, while there is warmth about Gabrielle Ryan as the bar worker.

Jeffrey Self’s deliberately over the top showing as the gay waiter is impossible to ignore, while each of the other actors also make their mark.

In fact, I thought that overall the casting choices were strong, making Drop a wild, playful, nerve-wracking and deadly ride.

Rated MA, it scores an 8 out of 10.