Reviews
The Drama
The Drama is set to be the most talked-about film in the world this weekend. It has been widely publicised that there’s more than meets the eye, with a “big twist” unfortunately already spoiled by certain publications. Never fear though. Aside from confirming that yes, there is indeed a twist, and one worth the price of admission alone, you can rest assured there will be no spoilers in this review.
Keeping the synopsis of Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama deliberately vague, the film follows Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Robert Pattinson), a happily engaged couple a week out from their lavish dream wedding. Supporting them through the usual ups and downs of wedding week are their married friends Mike (Mamadou Athie), who also serves as best man, and Rachel (Alana Haim), Emma’s Maid of Honour.
There are the customary flashbacks to the meet-cute, allowing audiences to build a connection with the equally awkward yet outwardly charming couple, which makes for an entertaining opening. But when the four friends sit down together for a wedding menu tasting, things take an unexpected turn during a round of dares that requires each of them to share the worst thing they’ve ever done. Everyone’s stories are troubling but understandable to a degree, until we arrive at Emma. Her confession is anything but normal, deeply disturbing, and clearly designed to get people talking. What follows is a question of whether the wedding will go ahead in the aftermath of this revelation.
Borgli’s script is, quite frankly, brilliant. He uses Charlie and Emma to striking effect, highlighting the vast differences in psychological stability when confronted with a life-altering truth, while also posing a question to the audience: how would you respond? This makes The Drama play more like a thriller than a romance, delivering several toe-curling, cringe-inducing moments, all for the right reasons. This is further elevated by a phenomenal score from Daniel Pemberton, which ensures a constant undercurrent of dread.
Borgli also plays with the characters’ imaginations, showing just how far people can spiral when left to their own thoughts. There is an abundance of sequences where the mental gymnastics used to justify a relationship feel strikingly relatable, even if the circumstances themselves are far removed from reality. Ultimately, you are meant to feel uncomfortable with what unfolds, and Borgli leans into that with complete confidence.
At its core, the subject matter of The Drama is complex, to say the least. By taking a more satirical approach, which will inevitably draw criticism, Borgli makes a clear statement on issues that are glaringly obvious yet repeatedly ignored. The heightened nature of the dialogue serves a purpose, as now is the time to be as direct as the film dares to be. It tackles the glamourisation of violence and the way humanity has become desensitised to even the most abhorrent acts through social media culture, asking the audience to confront an uncomfortable truth about themselves.
It would have been easy for the final act to lose its footing with the central message being reinforced so heavily, yet Borgli ensures it continues to land. Even at the wedding ceremony itself, there’s one particular moment that should linger long in the memories of audiences while provoking some genuine reflection on the state of modern society, particularly in America.
For The Drama to work as well as it does, it needed performances to be as strong as the writing, and both Zendaya and Robert Pattinson step-up to the mark. Zendaya is tasked with a role that sits outside much of her previous work, yet she rises to the challenge so impressively. Pattinson is once again operating at the top of his game, reinforcing his status as one of the best working actors around. He carries much of the emotional weight, navigating his character’s erratic behaviour with remarkable precision, a far cry from his earlier Twilight days.
Even without its twist, The Drama is a compelling examination of how far people will go for a relationship. That said, the twist will dominate conversation, and in that regard the film will undoubtedly succeed in what it set out to achieve. But talk is cheap, and action speaks louder than words. Hopefully, Borgli’s remarkable piece of work can serve as a catalyst for something more meaningful.