From an analysis of tangent spherical drops in straining flow, Baldessari and Leal conclude that the drop-scale internal circulation, driven by the ambient flow, has a negligible influence on the drainage of the thin liquid film between drops under small-deformation conditions [F. Baldessari, L.G. Leal. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 289 (2005) 262]. However, their conclusion is incorrect as explained in this letter. Published by Elsevier Inc.