Robert Pattinson and Zendaya’s new A24 comedy is already dividing audiences — and it hasn’t even officially opened yet.
The Drama, directed by Kristoffer Borgli, follows Charlie (Pattinson) and Emma (Zendaya), a couple whose wedding week falls apart after a drunken party game leads to a shocking confession. The film opens in cinemas on April 3.
Borgli previously directed Dream Scenario, the surreal Nicolas Cage comedy. He brings the same knack for squirm-inducing discomfort here — but cranks it up considerably.
Twenty minutes in, Emma reveals something so divisive that it’s already going viral on social media. It hasn’t been shown in trailers, and most reviewers are keeping it under wraps. What’s clear is that it warrants a trigger warning and won’t sit well with everyone.
For those who can stomach it, the film uses the controversial premise to explore how a partner’s past can completely reshape how you see them — and whether that’s even fair.
Pattinson plays it refreshingly straight as an ordinary guy watching his life unravel, while Zendaya brings genuine vulnerability to a deeply uncomfortable role. Alana Haim also impresses as a newly married friend who makes everything worse.
The film is shot and scored to keep you on edge throughout, with unsettling camera work and a creeping score from Daniel Pemberton. Like Dream Scenario, it doesn’t quite nail the ending — but it gives you plenty to argue about on the way home.
The Drama is the first of three collaborations between Pattinson and Zendaya this year, ahead of The Odyssey in July and Dune: Part Three in December.
Verdict: Darkly funny, deliberately provocative, and guaranteed to start arguments. Just don’t say you weren’t warned.
