When a young married couple, Mani (Jermaine Fowler) and Lex (Anna Konkle), head to a tropical island for a friend’s wedding. Shortly after arriving there is a slight mishap–Lex drops their friend's baby. The festivities are instantly put on pause as everyone continues to talk about The Drop. As this couple tries to deal with the issue at hand, more struggles arise. Loyalties will be tested, and this will prove to be one of the most uncomfortable trips in history.
The Drop is an incredibly cringey comedy that aims to widen the window of what’s acceptable in terms of humor. Not only does it constantly include raunchy, dark comedy–it also explores what is in fact funny. Is dropping a baby funny? Is the idea of a sexually-explorative teenager funny? Are the rantings of two stoned lunatics funny? The Drop attempts to make them funny. Some of the jokes land on their feet, while others stumble and fall. In a lot of ways Sarah Adina Smith’s The Drop is experimental, because it tries comedy in a unique fashion. I commend this group for attempting new things and understanding the inherent risk of doing so. Even when the jokes don’t necessarily work, the uncomfortability that viewers certainly feel works to continue to develop the film, to make it effective, and keep viewers engaged.
The Drop is a lot like the “Dinner Party” episode of The Office, one of the most popular of the entire series. That episode is so uncomfortable, so difficult to watch that viewers have no choice but to remain focused (kind of like staring at a car accident–impossible to look away from the horrific site). The Drop is just that–so uncomfortable that viewers have no choice but to stay focused, waiting to see what happens next.
Fowler is the shining star of the entire production. In a film that relies heavily on comedy, cringey, tough-to-stomach comedy–someone has to help to create emotion, to develop something that creates a connection between the film and the audience. Fowler is that person throughout the course of The Drop. Oftentimes Mani remains out of focus, and the others become the center of attention–it’s in these moments that he shines the brightest. He’s given the opportunity to develop in the background and almost force his way into focus. It’s in these moments that The Drop thrives–and that comes greatly as a result of Fowler. Part of the reason that Fowler does so well creating emotion and connecting with viewers is the fact that Writers Smith and Joshua Leonard create a character that the world can understand.
Mani isn’t always vocal, he’s not always capable of expressing his feelings through conversation–and his silence often emanates from the screen, effectively captivating viewers. For many viewers I believe it will be challenging to overlook the cringey comedy–the thing that ultimately drives it–but for those viewers who can look past it and really see Fowler’s performance and Mani’s development there’s something brilliant to behold. The Drop obviously leans more toward comedy, that’s no secret–but it’s the moments of drama, often orchestrated by the writing and Fowler’s stellar performance, that keeps it afloat and allows it to appeal to a wider audience.
The Drop will not be everyone’s cup of tea–it will not likely not appeal to the masses, and I’m sure that there will be many people that will struggle to understand and/or appreciate the comedy present throughout the course of the film. But there is a glimmer of hope that The Drop can be far-reaching–and that’s Mani. Viewers should show up for the potential laughs, but be prepared to stick around for the emotional relevance.
Directed by Sarah Adina Smith.
Written by Sarah Adina Smith & Joshua Leonard.
Starring Jermaine Fowler, Anna Konkle, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Aparna Nancherla, Jennifer Lafluer, Elisha Henig, Joshua Leonard, Jillian Bell, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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