The Drama - A Movie Review

Are you sure you want to do this now?

The Drama was released to theaters in 2026. Charlie and Emma are a week away before getting married. However, when Emma reveals a dark secret from her past, it makes Charlies reluctant and question the woman he is about to marry.

Talk about a movie that makes your jaw drop when its subject matter is revealed. This on-edge thriller makes you think twice about people. The Drama is not your average romance film, compiling a topic that has upset the world and caused harmful situations.

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are two marvelous actors, and they create genuine chemistry on-screen. Pattinson’s performance should not be overlooked. He reaches into new boundaries in all of his roles, really disappearing into them.

With the basis of the subject matter, this was not an easy project for the actor’s to grapple with sensitive material. Charlie and Emma are put in difficult corners, trying to process their relationship.

Supporting credits include Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Hailey Gates, Sydney Lemmon, Hannah Gross, Jordyn Crust, Michael Abbott Jr., Zoe Winters, and a whole ensemble in the finale.

Haim and Athie play Charlie and Emma’s friends, Mike and Rachel. While in the supportive friend roles, they’re reluctant or completely disgusted by the situation.

Haim is one of the best performances. I first saw her in Licorice Pizza (2021). I wasn’t a fan of that movie because I didn’t feel that it spotlighted the actors in the right way. Haim’s performance is great, but her character is so nasty. Rachel makes unkind accusations.

A trigger warning should be marketed on this film. Going in, I wasn’t prepared for how dark and intense this film would be. I won’t give any spoilers away because it’s an integral story detail, but with world events happening, this didn’t feel like the right film to talk about it.

Emma’s past and use of imagery will likely make viewers uncomfortable, especially if they have experience similar situations. There are several scenes depicting violence.

The whole situation feels so one-sided. Charlie’s secret is never brought up again when he also did something awful. Later in the film, Charlie does something that is so out of character, and didn’t make sense. Characters over-react to the situation.

The Drama was written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, who directed Dream Scenario (2023). The story is told in a non-linear way. It skips over moments viewers already know to heighten tension or surprises. You don’t know if certain scenes are real.

The best element of The Drama is its striking filmmaking which resembled a dream sequence. It has a unique editing style. Arseni Khackaturan’s cinematography is sharp, capturing solid imagery. Filming happened in Boston, which is local to me.

What saves the film is its occasional use of dark comedy. It’s awkward at best, but at least relieves tension. My favorite moments were the bubbly wedding planners who didn’t mesh with Charlie and Emma’s uncomfortable tension. The final scene is the big moment in the film as accusations, fights, and more drama go down.

The Drama has sparked strong reactions, both positive and negative. Depending how you feel about situation, it will spark different opinions. It’s tense, unpredictable, and well-acted from Zendaya and Pattinson, but it was difficult to sit through. I enjoyed some parts of it and the filmmaking, and reacting to scenes with my friend.

I was satisfied with the ending, implying there is a hope spot. You need to research The Drama before seeing it. The story is quite unsettling.