Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli continues his collaboration with A24 in “The Drama,” a polished relationship story that gradually unravels the longer you engage with it.
Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson), a British museum director, is engaged to Emma Harwood (Zendaya), a bookstore clerk who carries more emotional weight than she initially reveals. As their wedding approaches, the couple gathers with their inner circle—best man Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and maid of honor Rachel (Alana Haim). What begins as a harmless confession game quickly escalates into something far more destabilizing. One revelation shifts the energy in the room, and from that moment on, everything feels different.
The film revolves around a central secret that is better left unexplored. What matters most is how Borgli approaches this element. Instead of focusing on shock value, he emphasizes the aftermath. Even if you enter knowing where the story is headed, the script remains grounded in character development, allowing the tension to build genuinely rather than artificially.
Pattinson portrays Charlie as a man trying to live up to his own image. He’s charming, attentive, and just a little too eager to be everything Emma needs. From their initial coffee shop meeting—where he embellishes the truth about a book to establish a connection—you can sense the foundations being laid. It’s not an obvious red flag; it’s something subtler. And that’s what makes it resonate.
In contrast, Zendaya doesn’t chase moments; she creates them. Her performance is measured and intentional, never pleading for sympathy. As Emma’s character unfolds, I found myself reflecting on “The Cracks in Mr. Perfect” by Ne-Yo, which explores a man maintaining an unsustainable facade and the consequences when that illusion begins to fade. The film doesn’t overtly express this idea, but it exists within that same emotional context.
Borgli reveals his intentions early on, but does so in a way that doesn’t give everything away. Instead, he constructs the narrative around it—leveraging the absurdities of wedding culture to inject both humor and discomfort. The DJs, the photographers, and the overly enthusiastic dance instructor all contribute to the atmosphere, but none of it feels superfluous. In fact, these moments enhance the impact of what lies beneath the surface.
What stands out most is the film’s restraint. There’s no grand, sweeping romance here. Charlie and Emma don’t resemble typical movie couples; they feel like real people striving to make their relationship work. When cracks begin to appear, the process is not explosive; it’s gradual and pervasive.
The conversation surrounding this film will undoubtedly be intriguing. Some will question what it conveys—or fails to convey—regarding its central theme. But that tension is precisely the point. “The Drama” doesn’t seek your agreement; it simly places you in the room and invites you to sit with the discomfort.
By the end, it holds up a mirror and dares you not to look away.
Final Grade: A
“The Drama” opens in theaters tomorrow..
