The Drama Review

 

Photograph courtesy A24

The Drama was one of my most anticipated films of the year. With two of my favourite actors, a mysterious plot, and a wedding at its centre, I knew I was going to be intrigued, and boy was I.
Following Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Robert Pattinson) in the week leading up to their big day, the film begins as a stylish meet-cute rom-com. Through a wedding speech framing device, we see how the pair met, their first date, their first kiss, gradually building a picture of their relationship from first encounter to engagement. This couple feels real and really in love. Completely believable from the get-go, drawing you in and making it easy to root for their upcoming nuptials.

After a day packed with last-minute wedding preparations, the couple join their friends for a dinner that quickly descends into chaos. Drinks flow, and one by one, the group begins confessing the worst things they’ve ever done. When it’s Emma’s turn, everything hits the fan, turning both the couple’s life and the narrative completely upside down.

Now, I’m going to try my best to discuss this without any spoilers, but The Drama is a film that forces you to confront your relationship with forgiveness, understanding, and how much you are willing to accept your partner for who they truly are.  Everyone has made mistakes, an error of judgment, but just how big a mistake are you willing to let slide. Does a deeper understanding of someone’s past ultimately change your perception of the so-called “love of your life”?

Kristoffer Borgli’s direction perfectly balances tone throughout, making you laugh, cringe, and revel in horror in equal measure during the film’s runtime (a perfect 1 hour and 45 minutes). Through choppy editing and occasional surrealist sequences, we’re granted a window into the characters’ psyche, allowing us to understand and question, their increasingly unhinged actions.

Both leads balance this tone wonderfully. The film resists positioning either character as “right” or “wrong.” Instead, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are tasked with portraying these characters with honesty and nuance, allowing us to project our own sentiments onto their situation. With such delicate performances, we’re invited to join them on this journey, feel their pain, and constantly reassess where our loyalties lie.

The subject matter at the heart of The Drama is heavy. A real-world, horrifying epidemic that should not be taken lightly. Because of this, there is an ethical tension in keeping its central twist a secret. As the film reaches wider audiences, this is a film that should feature some sort of trigger warning to ensure audiences are protected from something potentially harmful to them. 

The Drama is a film that will make you giggle, your heart beat a bit faster and leave you pondering the limits of your relationship long after it ends. Expertly performed and thoughtfully crafted, it strikes a compelling balance between the absurd and the poignant, a well-needed examination of an issue that continues to plague society.