Horror movies are not meant to necessarily reflect our own fears and anxieties, but sometimes they do. I’m not entirely sure if first-time feature filmmakers Raviv Ullman and Greg Yagolnitzer, who both wrote and directed Drag, anticipated that someone would connect with the overarching premise of their horror movie, but having degenerative disk disease and having had back surgery to fix back problems, the struggle of this movie certainly hit a little close to home. In the film’s case, it all could have been avoided by not breaking into a house to try to rob it, but then we wouldn’t have an iconic scene that is surely going to be memed into eternity and a wonderfully chaotic horror heist comedy romp.
Drag focuses on two sisters who never get named and are evidently just referred to as “Fuckup” and “Sister.” It goes with the general guidelines of not revealing your names so nothing can ever get revealed about who you are. The former is Lizzy Caplan (Cloverfield) and the latter is Lucy DeVito (Marvelous and the Black Hole) and they’re trying to rob someone who did Caplan wrong (we do later find out what the motivation is, and it is a big ol’ laugh, because they’re now trapped in a situation over relative nonsense). However, in the midst of the ill-conceived plan, Caplan tries to reach for the shampoo in the bathroom, specifically in the tub, because “rich people have nice shampoo,” and throws her back out. Horrifying. Now she is stuck — literally — as she is unable to move and DeVito has to find a way to get them out of the house before the owner (John Stamos) arrives back, catches them, and makes them suffer whatever consequences.
A scene in DRAG. Photo Credit: Ben Goodman. Photo courtesy of The Overlook Film Festival.
If you’ve never had a back go out, you need to know that you’re rather immobile. So, to try to escape, DeVito has to get Caplan out of the tub, onto the floor, and literally drag her across the floor. Of course, this is not an easy task and (a heads-up for the squeamish) the resulting exit from the bedroom is what cringe-inducing, blood-soaked nightmares are made of. And, to ensure we have a film-worthy plot, Stamos (They Came Together) comes home, putting them in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse as they try to hide from Stamos and ensure they can escape without harm. However, the homeowner is not alone, he is with a date. There is something deeply off about this person and it’s a refreshing turn for Stamos as an actor — and that’s all we’ll say as to not give too much away in this spoiler-free review.
Ullman and Yagolnitzer, who are making their feature debuts with Ullman making his writing debut and directing debut, bring a provocative, flinch-inducing, wild ride that is propelled by the fantastic performances from Caplan and Stamos. Caplan, who’s more or less played every type of character at some point in her career, playing the “down on her luck and seeking righteous retribution against the occupant of the house she’s robbing” character is perfectly cast. Caplan’s carries the weight of the movie while mostly being on her back, and it’s impressive. Stamos *mostly* parading around in underwear is delightfully unhinged and downright disturbing.
Drag isn’t a downright evil, horror movie, and that is why it works. It’s flinch-inducing violence could be a lot to stomach, but being lighter in the comedic moments allows the audience to catch their breath admi the heavy themes. Drag respects balance incredibly well, delivering a very enjoyable and chaotic adventure to screens.
Screened during The Overlook Film Festival 2026.
For more information, head either to the official Drag The Overlook Film Festival webpage or film website.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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