“What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”
That’s the question central to A24’s newest dark comedy, “The Drama,” written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, that undeniably lives up to its name.
“The Drama” is a film that cannot be bound by genre. Marketed as a rom-com with a hidden twist, it proved closer to an outlandish psychological horror story that balanced witty humor, dazzling chemistry and scathing social commentary.
The first act sets the scene with a flashback of a typically romantic “meet-cute” between fianceés Charlie Thompson and Emma Harwood, played by A-list superstars Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, respectively. After viewers form a connection with the characters, they are hit with a major turning point merely 15 minutes in, propelling the narrative into overdrive with no signs of slowing.
During a drunken conversation at a dinner party with friends who confess to each other the worst things they’d ever done, Harwood reveals a shocking secret from her past that causes Thompson to rethink their entire relationship. For the bulk of the film, he battles with his morals while Harwood waits for him to decide what he thinks, and the events leading up to the wedding get juicier and messier until they eventually spiral out of control.
“I think you’re just kind of on this really emotionally vulnerable ride with them the whole time, and it’s all gas until the end,” Zendaya said in an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. “It’s definitely, hopefully going to spark a lot of healthy discussion.”
It’s easy to argue that some elements of the film’s subject matter are distasteful and almost too provocative, attempting to justify something unforgivable. However, the writing cleverly uses the intense situation to explore the extent to which people can change and just how fast relationships can implode.
The film portrays the danger of falling in love with the idea of a person rather than the person as a whole. By revealing the truth early on, it shows how a relationship built on surface-level attraction can crumble when both sides begin to learn more about each other. It forces viewers to think where one should draw the line between what is acceptable and objectionable.
Each scene becomes more uncomfortable than the last, with some parts inciting so much second-hand embarrassment that makes them simultaneously hard to watch and impossible to look away from. The writing creatively offsets the seriousness of the moral dilemma with sharply funny banter, leaving viewers questioning whether or not they should be laughing but ultimately prying the laughter out of their throats.
The performances are superb, with each actor presenting a perfectly believable but nuanced portrayal of their character. Harwood’s character, however, deserves to be explored a bit more.
Much of the film revolves around Thompson’s mental journey as he comes to terms with Harwood’s appalling confession, but Harwood’s story is yet to be discovered. Going more into depth with her past and what led her to the worst thing she’s ever done could have given the narrative the more well-rounded context it needs.
“The Drama” and its concepts are surely risky, but Borgli manages to find the humor in its intensity. It promises a journey through a wide spectrum of emotions in a short 105 minutes and leaves viewers pondering what they might do in a similar scenario long after they’ve left the theater. People might be divided by the question, but perhaps being forced to consider modern issues head-on with a side of laughter is exactly what they need.
