Review of Drone
***1/2 out of five stars
Currently available in video
“Drone” is a taut little thriller about Neil Wistin (Sean Bean), an employee of a military contractor to the CIA who pilots attack drones from his office in Washington State to targets in the Middle East. No one in his suburban life, in particular, his wife and son, is aware of the nature of his job. On the surface, all is well enough.
Neil’s father has very recently passed away and Neil is struggling with writing the eulogy. Also, his son is, unexpectedly to Neil and his wife Ellen (Mary McCormack), deeply grieved over the loss of his grandfather. Symbolic of their coping with their loss is a father/son dispute over the potential sale of grandfather’s boat parked under a tarp in their driveway. Add to that a peek into Ellen’s extramarital affair and you’re setting up the inevitable “strum und drang” scenes of family confrontation and contrition.
The opening scene is of “collateral damage,” of two women in Pakistan, happily strolling and oblivious to any lethal danger, accidentally killed by a drone missile. Much of this modest film takes place up close and personal with shots of family life, both in Pakistan and Washington often while observed from above. One of the film’s devices is regular drone-like aerial shots not only of the streets in Pakistan, but also of the streets in the Wistin neighborhood. Even at home in the good ol’ US of A we are under surveillance.
We are first introduced to Neil, almost precisely to the day one year after the opening scene, at work, piloting an attack drone. He completes his mission but not without having to repeatedly send missiles to strike the target person to be certain he is killed. Throughout the film, Sean Bean portrays Neil as worn and 
haggard, almost perpetually dazed, confused and conflicted. Initially it seemed to me that Bean was phoning it in, but in the context of the character, his demeanor was perfectly justified.
Imir (Patrick Sabongui), a Pakistani businessman, whom we learn is a computer engineer, enters the story, at first from afar, observing the family, and, specifically, Ellen during her dalliances with her lover, then face to face with Neil under the ploy of an interest in purchasing grandfather’s boat. This buys him entrance into their home.
What follows, inside the home, beginning with chit chat, getting-to-know-you conversation, is a claustrophobic and harrowing inquisition into secrets, lies (especially those we tell ourselves), acknowledging and taking responsibility for our sins and the consequences of our actions, and the nature of grief.
Drone is a small independent film which would play well on a double bill with the Helen Mirren feature from last year, “Eye in the Sky” (available on Amazon Prime). Drone meanders a bit, and is fragmented, while building to the climactic confrontation. But the main themes, capsulized at dinner and its aftermath with Imir, Neil and family, are delivered well. Although a bit too strident at times, the acting is competent.
The score perpetually punctuates the proceedings with a percussive Persian palette that doesn’t allow us to forget the harsh realities beneath the suburban veneer. It may be taking place in the Pacific Northwest, but the tragedies raining down on the innocent bystanders, our neighbors, halfway around the world are just down the street, in our back yards.
“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
