The Drama
FILM
A happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails.
The Drama is a movie that will, one way or another, get people talking. Marketed as a glossy, two-hander romantic comedy starring two of the most recognizable and sought-after movie stars working today, the film is a wolf in a sheep's clothing, an acidic, jet-black comedy with an agenda and a secret. Directed by Kristoffer Borgli, the Norwegian filmmaker most A24-heads will know from Dream Scenario, the Nicolas Cage-led surrealist satirical dramedy from 2023 that critiqued viral fame and influencer culture, his new film goes out of its way to alienate its audience, which will certainly lead to some polarizing reactions. I'm guessing that is the kind of the point here.
Spoilers aplenty
Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Robert Pattinson) are getting married in a week! We see their charming meet-cute at a coffee shop in Boston, where Charlie pretends to have read the same book Emma is reading – but Emma doesn't hear him at first, explaining she is deaf in one ear. Still, they end up planning a date, and the rest is history. One thing that I liked about the film is that every little detailed – sometimes seemingly trivial – piece of information is a piece in this story's puzzle. Nothing is communicated by accident or without a purpose; the screenplay, also written by Borgli, is shrewd and sharp, but also intricate and economical.
Now is as good of a time as ever to say that The Drama is built around a crazy, 'you have to see it to believe it twist,' which, on top of its two super famous actors, is a surefire way to sell tickets. This, beyond any other movie I've ever talked about, musn't be spoiled. In fact, the movie goes out of its way to be deliberately misleading to really build up the reveal. All I'll say about the twist is that it's less twisty than you might imagine – the revelation involves something that didn't actually happen, but once this piece of information comes out 15-20 minutues into the runtime, the movie truly begins.
The Drama isn't really just about a strained love story and a damning critique of the wedding industrial complex – but it is about those things. But more central to its deep-seeded thesis are a bunch of morally messy ideas about accountability for one's past thoughts, the hypocrisy of judgment, and how, and or if, there are limits to a couple's love for one another. What things you can look past to preserve your relationship? Can you learn things about your partner that fundamentally changes the way you can love them going forward? Are you just as accountable for the things you think as you are for your actions? The Drama is a thought experiment with a depraved sense of humor, an act of pensive transgression in a movie that is structured around a couple's last-minute pre-marital planning.
Since I'm already flying too close the Spoiler Sun here, let me stop while I'm ahead – how about I just share without sharing? The Drama isn't for everyone, but I was a big fan. I usually get a kick out of this kind of marketing misdirection, a movie that sells you on the idea that it is one thing, while secretly, it is something else entirely. I've already seen butt-hurt take downs that condemn this film as "irresponsible, careless, and frankly, dangerous." While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I find that to be a short-sighted and close-minded reading of the film. The Drama is intended to make you feel uncomfortable, forces you to sit in your discomfort, and insists that you ask yourself difficult questions – and anticipates that your answers might not be as easy to uncover. The subject matter here is really no joking matter, which is why there being any humor at all here is an audacious bit of tonal juggling.
Both Zendaya and Pattison should be commended for their brave and bold decision to fully commit to these characters. They play flawed characters who are flawed in different ways for different reasons. What I appreciate most about what they're doing here is that there's nothing masking or guarding their performances – they are fully exposed, relying on a rigorous understanding of the story and their characters. They are two of our most famous and bankable movie stars in Hollywood, but this is a showcase for what they can do with great material and a provacative idea. They're about to go on what the kids will call a "generational run," and I can't wait to see how the rest of this year goes for both of them – and over the course of their careers going forward. If you doubted their acting chops or star power, this serves as an excellent example of their presence as prowess.
Assigning blame and adjudicating guilt can be tricky. The Drama challenges its audience to hold a mirror up to how we're all not only a bit hypocritical, but maybe even shamelessly cynical, if not outright self-serving in an effort to protect our own faults. While the film is morally complex, it is by no means a moral outrage. Being uncomfortable and challenged at the movie theater is something we used to value, and I'm always happy to advocate for a film with a point-of-view that pushes past our perceived limits and strives to make you think more deeply – about the world around us, but also about one's own view of the world.
