This story contains NO SPOILERS about The Drama’s big twist.
There’s been a ton of hype surrounding Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama, which is one of three movies starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson scheduled to hit the 2026 movie calendar. The stressful first trailer shows engaged couple Emma and Charlie’s relationship getting rocked when a big secret is revealed, ultimately questioning the limits of unconditional love. Critics have seen The Drama, and while they say this isn’t a movie that can be enjoyed, per se, it’s getting mostly high marks.
First reactions to The Drama were also mostly positive, as audiences said the upcoming A24 film was both deeply disturbing and darkly hilarious. CinemaBlend’s review of The Drama says as much, with Hugh Scott saying the awfulness of the big secret gives the overall story a stronger impact. Some dark comedy breaks up the tension but may leave you feeling guilty for laughing. He rates the film 4 out of 5 stars and says:
Article continues belowLike the spoiler-y revelation, the movie is unsettling, but it’s darkly funny at times, and ultimately a satisfying way to explore both societal issues and personal issues at the same time. The Drama finds a new spin on an old idea that makes it completely different than anything else in the romantic comedy genre. Rom coms are meant to be fantasies, not nightmares. Even the tropes it incorporates are twisted from what we all expect.
India Block of The Standard gives it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. The critic says writer/director Kristoffer Borgli skillfully creates art that he knows will disturb as well as delight. Block writes:
It’s cringe-inducing and gross-out in places (join my own campaign for filmmakers to stop shooting endless projectile puking as a metaphor for emotion), but artfully shot, interestingly edited and set to some of the freakest flute toots in arthouse cinema. The ending scene is genuinely romantic and feels like something out of a cult classic movie. It’s some delicious drama that will hopefully outlive whatever outrage the subject matter is duly generating.
The Drama’s big narrative twist happens about 30 minutes in, according to critics, and how everyone reacts to the dark secret that throttles the couple is just as (if not more) important than the secret itself. Still, Johnny Oleksinski of the New York Post says he wouldn’t be surprised if theaters see some walk-outs from furious audience members. Like it or not, the critic says, it will linger for days. He gives it 3 out of 4 stars and writes:
For the brave, avoid any spoilers or even vague whispers at all costs. Going in cold, you’ll never guess the bombshell. Be warned: When the scene arrives, you might absolutely loathe it. Even if what happens after that jaw-dropper doesn’t pack the same punch — how can it? — much of The Drama is gripping, quite stressfully so, and it’s sometimes stomach-churning in the topical subjects it touches. Look, this is not a pleasant experience. But it’s an admirably tough one to shake.
Brian Truitt of USA TODAY also rates it 3 stars out of 4, calling The Drama a “disaster-filled deconstruction of the romantic comedy,” that is ultimately one of the “boldest, brashest” offerings in recent memory. In Truitt’s words:
Borgli tackles all of it with nuance as well as satirical edge. The humor spawned by Emma’s confession will strike some as deeply unfunny, while others might uncomfortably chuckle at its cleverness. The Drama is tailor-made to strike up important discussions afterward, yet given the issue at its core, a good amount of backlash will likely come from those who can’t and won’t intellectually engage with the movie. That’s not the film’s problem, it’s just the way things are.
William Bibbiani of The Wrap says ultimately The Drama is too unsettling to enjoy, but credit where it’s due, the story is complex, fascinating to watch and performed by the “amazing” Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. Bibbiani says of the actors:
The Drama watches in fascinated horror as Charlie self-destructs in slow-motion and takes damn near everyone else with him. Robert Pattinson and Zendaya are some of the most versatile actors of this generation, and the opportunity to gorge themselves on this much outer and inner conflict was too tempting to pass up. They devour The Drama in little nibbles and gigantic bites. There’s subtlety in their work and, for Pattinson in particular, also a few exaggerated, yet well-earned outbursts.
Robert Daniels of RogerEbert has a different takeaway from the film. The critic says Zendaya’s character’s backstory should elicit questions regarding her experience as a Black woman from the South who is marrying a white man. Kristoffer Borgli can’t understand the chain of events that led to Emma’s psychological state, so he doesn’t approach them, Daniels says. He gives the movie 1.5 out of 4 stars and writes:
The fallout from her revelation inspires a prickly story that, due to Borgli’s limited grasp of his charged themes, never reaches the aims it teases. Questions about true love, moral hypocrisies, and violence tied to the perpetrator’s race and sex narratively rot in an aesthetically overworked film.
Apparently just like Robert Pattinson’s character Charlie, audiences are going to have to decide for themselves if they can get past Emma’s secret and take away something from The Drama. Critics overall appear to have liked it, as it holds a Certified Fresh 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. Love it or hate, though, it sounds like we’re going to be talking about this one for a while as it lingers in our brains. The Drama hits theaters on Friday, April 3.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
