As someone who comes from a big family, I know family feuds don’t stop for anything. So, I find Raviv Ullman and Greg Yagolnitzer’s Drag more charming and relatable than I should. The film doesn’t reinvent the thriller subgenre. However, it does give a couple of actresses a fun playground to showcase their comedic timing.
Drag introduces us to two sisters (played by Lizzy Caplan and Lucy DeVito). Caplan plays the sister the credits refer to as “Fuckup” and DeVito is billed as “Sister”. Fuckup has decided they should break into some guy’s home and take what she feels she is owed. Meanwhile, Sister thinks this is a mistake but is along for the ride anyway. Things go sideways when Caplan’s character puts her back out in the home. This forces DeVito’s character has to drag her to safety as Man (John Stamos) returns home. Woman (Christine Ko) arrives for a hookup soon after. That is when things go even more off the rails for the sisters sneaking around the house looking for an escape.
Is It a…Drag?
Writer and directors Ullman and Yagolnitzer give the girls quips galore as the tension rises. We all know what the women are going to find in this basement, but it’s still a fun time. That’s in large part due to Caplan and DeVito’s comedic timing and chemistry. They felt like real sisters as they got into the history and familial baggage that we all share with our siblings. Their need to keep each other safe while bickering was my favorite part of the movie. Those were also the moments that earned the suspension of disbelief that the film asks us for. The ladies ground this world and make us want to stay. Even if we’re not sure we’re having a good time, it’s hard to not invest in them.
Another thing working in Drag’s favor is that the sisters refuse to leave Woman when they figure out the calls are coming from inside the house. Like most of us, they know leaving a woman behind is never a good idea, and they extend that to this stranger. Due to this being a comedic thriller, which is usually to their own detriment, but it’s still nice to see that on film. Especially on this side of #MeToo, when it’s even harder for men to pretend that men aren’t the problem.
Drag is a fine time. The script feels a bit dated and gives huge theatre vibes, but has enough zingers and surprisingly bloody moments to stick the landing. Again, it’s mostly saved by Caplan and DeVito finding those places to elevate it. However, it’s hard to be too mad at a very creative robbery gone so painfully wrong.
