It’s uncommon for films to electrify the crowd into visible or verbal reactions. But during the romantic comedy “The Drama,” the audience gasped and whispered among themselves.
The theater reflected the themes of the movie: Robert Pattinson asked, “Can you stop gossiping?” on the big screen while the audience buzzed with reactive chatter.
“The Drama,” released April 3, started off a banner year of releases for its stars, Zendaya and Pattinson; they’ll return to the screen together in “The Odyssey” and “Dune: Part Three,” coming out July 17 and Dec. 18, respectively.
The A24 film was written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, a Norwegian filmmaker known for his previous projects “Dream Scenario” and “Sick of Myself." Borgli doesn’t shy away from cringe-inducing dark comedies, and this addition to his filmography is no different.
“The Drama” centers on an engaged couple, Emma and Charlie, on the week of their wedding. They finalize their wedding details: the first dance, the DJ and the photographer. When they finalize the catering, they invite their married friends, Rachel and Mike, to the tasting. After a few drinks, the question is prompted: “What is the worst thing you’ve ever done?”
What started as a seemingly harmless question turned into a psychological meltdown for the characters and resulted in, well, a whole lot of drama.
Zendaya and Pattinson excelled. Their chemistry was compelling, and every conversation between their two characters felt natural, even when they were in discussion about the most outrageous things.
Different from other romantic comedies, where the audience follows the beginning of the relationship’s journey, the film has a quick turnaround from showing the characters' love for each other to introducing a secret that could ruin everything.
In the first few scenes, their obsession with one another becomes clear. The couple describes their past while they write their speeches, allowing the viewers to understand the value they have for one another.
The cinematography is quick, the flashbacks and hypothetical scenes are actually like flashes, and the audience gains a multitude of background information in a short amount of time.
The cinematographer, Arseni Khachaturan, shot on Millennium XL2 film cameras with Panavision PVintage lenses, which made the scenes feel raw and intimate. Some scenes feel uneasy as the camera lingers on a character for too long or slowly closes in on them to build up tension.
The plot is insane. The characters are unexpected. I felt like I knew where the story was headed, but nothing could have prepared me for how these characters developed in the film.
Pattinson’s character, Charlie, saying “it’s just some drama” after the big reveal was a masterclass in restraint.
The two stars delivered their crazy characters and made them seem normal. Every one of their actions blew me away, but I still cared for their relationship until the end. All the main characters teetered on the line between being morally good or bad. It's unclear who the "villain" of the story is or if there even is one at all.
The film is a fresh take on American culture. It cautions that every person has a past, and every person has an answer to what the worst thing they’ve ever done — or almost done — is. It's a drama, but it’s not dramatic.
The supporting roles, played by Alana Haim and Mamoudou Athie, were the perfect duo to witness the drama unfold. Haim’s character, Rachel, was expressive and demanding, and Athie’s character, Mike, was like a tone-downed peacemaker while still being on her side.
The side characters rounded out the film; without them, the laughs wouldn’t have hit as hard. The photographer, played by Zoë Winters, had the funniest role in the story. Every line of her dialogue landed. Misha, played by Hailey Gates, was a great addition to the end of the film. All of her scenes made the audience shake their heads in disbelief.
The ending of the film was compelling. Borgli said this was his version of a rom-com, and it’s understood after watching it all through. I sat in my car afterwards with my head in my hands, trying to understand everything I just watched. Like the characters, I was sent into a spiral, wondering how my forgiveness to their actions could be morally justified.
The question “What is the worst thing you’ve ever done?” will be stuck in my head and may be a question I ask — or be afraid to ask — after watching “The Drama.”
Contact Teia Williams at twilliams@alligator.org. Follow her on X @teia_williams.
Teia Williams is a journalism student and in her second semester at The Alligator. She is a lifestyle and general assignment for The Avenue. In her free time she is constantly reading, going to concerts, or talking about her favorite celebrities.
