The only correct title: A review of ‘The Drama’

Director Kristoffer Borgli did not miss when he titled this movie “The Drama” — because there is certainly drama.

From the beginning, you can tell something is off. While it did not convey typical aspects of horror or suspense, things felt weird. The initial scene depicts a seemingly adorable meet-cute between Charlie (Robert Pattinson) and Emma (Zendaya).

Charlie finds Emma reading a book in a cafe, lost in her own world. He snoops to see what book she is reading and lies about having read the same book to talk to her. His first attempt fails because he, unknowingly, speaks directly into her one deaf ear. Nevertheless, she gives him a second chance, and their relationship blooms from there.

This first scene led me to expect Charlie to be the villain of this story. His lie seemed suspicious to me, and his whole character seemed a little odd. While I was not entirely wrong, the plot definitely did not take the direction I expected it to.

The film flipped back and forth in time. It showed present-day scenes of Charlie and Emma planning their upcoming wedding, while also flashing back to earlier times in their relationship. I enjoyed this aspect of the movie a lot. The constant switch of timeline did not feel confusing; rather, it helped provide context for later events while being engaging and dramatic.

After the movie, I realized how effective the marketing and advertising for this film was. The trailer vaguely showed dramatic scenes between the couple, while never directly revealing anything about the plot, so going into the movie, I had zero clue what to expect.

Immediately, Charlie and Emma’s relationship begins to fall apart. Trust, security and passion faded. They must rework the trust they’ve built together over the years, after lies and secrecy are revealed.

The movie became tense, and I bit my nails in anticipation and anxiety, waiting to see what the characters would do. The flashbacks continued, giving a deeper look into how their pasts connected to the present.

Two things about the film stuck out to me most.

First, the acting was undoubtedly outstanding. With Zendaya and Pattinson, it’s obviously going to be stellar. They immediately make you forget it’s a movie. I wasn’t watching actors — I was watching real people in this world having natural conversations. It was incredibly believable and immersed you in their world.

The use of sound also stood out. Different sound effects and noises were utilized to emphasize the plot or character emotions, and it was genius.

As the plot continued to unfold, I truly began to wonder how the story could be resolved. Despite my worries, the ending was perfect. Every detail showed that Charlie and Emma are made for each other and each other only.

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The movie was undeniably fantastic, but I don’t know how often I would rewatch it. Going into this movie, I had no expectations beyond understanding the usual oddity of A24 films and knowing Zendaya is amazing. This made the actual plot seem a little off to me. I wanted to like the movie more than I actually did.

Despite this, I do believe this is a must-see movie, if only for the amazing acting performances. If you’re into messy relationships and drama, this is just for you.

Rating: 8/10

norrisl3@miamioh.edu