The Drama ★★★

Released: 3 April 2026

Director: Kristoffer Borgli

Starring: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson

Relationships are always complex, perhaps too much. You think you know your partner, then out of nowhere they feel like a stranger. Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama is arguably one of the most intense films you will watch this year. It is utterly uncomfortable in such a conflicting manner that you will leave the cinema speechless.

Robert Pattinson and Zendaya star as Charlie and Emma, a young couple who are a little less than a week away from their wedding day. The pair met two years prior in a coffee shop when Charlie lied about reading a book to impress Emma. During their final dinner testing, they are joined by Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim) who are serving as Best Man and Maid-of-Honor. As they sip on wine and share a few laughs, Rachel brings up a game they played prior to her and Mike’s own wedding – sharing the worst thing you’ve ever done.

The groom admitted to cyber bullying someone so bad the family had to move away. Emma’s admission however was perhaps too honest for that moment. The bride-to-be revealed to the table that she planned a school mass shooting when she was 15, but ultimately didn’t go ahead with it. The silence was unnerving. The look of shock and disgust was present, especially from Rachel whose cousin was paralysed from a school shooting. Soon after, Charlie is left questioning everything about his relationship with Emma, and in doing so, making his own mistakes along the way. What was meant to be the happiest day of their lives is derailed in blood, anger and sadness.

It’s a brave choice to incorporate a sensitive topic that is politically relevant, within a film that is listed as a romantic, dark comedy. The film lacks any comedic element and purposefully edges more towards intensity through pacing and sound choices. The trailers leading up to the The Drama’s release teased a twist, allowing audiences to guess what the bad thing Emma did was. But the publicity overall provided fun, romantic vibes that made the reveal all the more uncomfortable and shocking.

The film shines brightest whenever its two leading stars are on screen. Pattinson and Zendaya are a match made in heaven as Charlie and Emma. Both equally pouring their hearts out and committing to each other in what is a complex love story. It’s hard to believe this is their first time working with each other as both have immense on-screen chemistry together.

Silence is welcomed after seeing The Drama. It’s unexpected and unnerving in a way that you both like and detest it. Borgli has created a piece of art that is often confused in tone, yet is also incredibly endearing that you just want the best for its protagonists. Long may they live happily ever after.