Culture
Now Playing: ‘The Drama’ is a dark anti-rom-com guaranteed to divide audiences
By: Gordon Briggs
Posted on:
“What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”
That’s the question that slowly snowballs and unravels a relationship in The Drama, a pitch-black comedy about love, judgment, and the nature of identity. The answer to that question will divide and maybe even offend some audiences, but how we respond to the judgments of others is exactly what this film is really about.
The marketing of this movie has focused almost entirely on Emma’s revelation as a juicy “plot twist”. I dare not reveal that plot point here. However, this movie is less about the worst thing the character has done and more about how the others react to it.
The film’s director, Kristoffer Borgli, whose previous films Dream Scenario and Sick of Myself are scathing critiques of modern social behaviors, frequently explores how reality is warped by lies, fantasies, and dreams. The Drama continues to explore the gap between a person’s true self and their public image.
There have been several recent movies about couples breaking up. Films such as The Roses, Anora, Splitsville, and Companion have all revolved around romantic relationships that dissolve violently. What’s interesting here is how determined this couple seems to be to stay together for their wedding, even when it’s clear that the relationship is in jeopardy.
Specifically, I enjoyed how the film mocks the performative nature of weddings, showing the couple going through stressful, expensive preparations (like stiff dance lessons and menu planning) while their lives are actually falling apart. That choice allows our two stars to give a sort of double performance as they play their characters, but also perform their characters, giving a performance of normality.
What makes The Drama a dark comedy?
The film generates genuine comic tension through squirm-inducing humor. In other words, the laughs come from social awkwardness rather than traditional setups and punchline jokes. It forces the audience to sit through uncomfortable moments, such as a chaotic wedding speech or intense, stressful conversations, making them laugh out of disbelief or nervous tension.
That choice of cringe-inducing comedy is supported by the film’s frantic visual style. While rom-coms have traditionally had an aspirational arc, the editing in the first part of the film is borderline frenzied, using a playful tone to build on that aspirational feel before transforming into a dark comedy.
This movie lives or dies because of your reaction to Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. For instance, Robert Pattinson’s performance as Charlie takes the twitchy, neurotic persona you would see in a Woody Allen-style New York comedy and places their anxiety in a specific context regarding American violence.
Of course, I cannot leave out Zendaya, who takes a character you could very easily dislike and makes you feel genuine empathy for her. The end result is a provocative movie with two strong performances that continues Hollywood’s interest in glorifying break-ups, as it once shamelessly glorified falling in love. ★ ★ ★1/2